Impossible Love
by QueenPendragon56
Summary: When Sokka gets captured is there a chance that he can actually become friends with his enemy Zuko or maybe even more?
1. Chapter 1

_Sokka was surprised by the other teen's sudden attack. He didn't think that Jet was really this insane. "Stop!" he yelled trying to get the older teen off of him. He couldn't believe that he was so weak that he couldn't even get the other boy off of him. _

"_Oh come on Sokka, don't let me the only one to enjoy it," he whispered into Sokka's ear. "Get off of me!" Sokka couldn't do anything as his hips were shoved into the wall and Jet's hands slowly made their way up his shirt after he had untied his belt. _

"_I've never liked you, but you are still pretty cute," Jet whispered ripping off his tunic so that the night air sent shivers up Sokka's back. He cried out in surprise when Jet started to place kisses down his neck. _

"_Sokka!" _

Sokka jumped in surprise from someone yelling his name. He looked around and was surprised to see Aang looking back at him worried. "Sokka are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, fine," Sokka panted wiping away the sweat that had collected at his forehead. "Just a bad dream, we better get back to sleep," he said trying to reassure the young monk. Aang nodded a little before he laid back down on the ground.

Sokka hated his nightmares that included that horrible night. The worst part was that after they had left them he had no clue what happened to Jet. It had been over a year since then and he was still afraid of the other teenager. He tried to relax when he looked down at his little son.

He hadn't know it at the time but he soon found out that some water tribe men inherited the ability to have children. The birth had been the most painful thing in his life but his son was so worth it. Tao was only about a year old but Sokka couldn't stand to be away from him for more then a few minutes. It had been even worse when he was born. Sokka had gone paranoid that Jet would take the baby and hadn't let Tao out of his sight for a second. That had slowly faded but there was still a bit of that fear in the back of his mind.

Tao stirred in his sleep a little bit from all the noise but his eyes still remained closed. Sokka sighed in relief. Once they woke up the toddler it took hours to get him to fall back asleep. He had always been very hyper, even worse then his twelve year old 'uncle' Aang.

Sokka laid back down and pull his sleeping bag closer around him and his son as he tried to fall asleep. He slowly stroked the dark brown hair that his son had just started to grow. "I love you," he whispered softly before closing his own eyes and tried to get back to sleep but without the nightmares this time.

Sokka woke up the next morning to a wave of water nearly drowning him. "What was that for?" he yelled angrily.

"You need to wake up!" yelled Katara. Not at all sympathetic to the fact that Sokka had been woken up and nearly drowned only seconds before. Sokka grumbled angrily as the other started to load up Appa.

It took Sokka a second to realize that Tao wasn't with him. "Tao?" he asked looking around desperately. "Daddy!" He looked back and saw Tao playing in the grass next to Appa laughing at his father's antics. Sokka smiled and quickly got out of his wet sleeping bag so that he could run and pick Tao up.

Tao laughed and when he saw his father running at him, he stood up and ran away making his father work at catching up with him. "Tao, be careful!" yelled Sokka trying to stop his son before he went too far into the forest. The group had been going through these kind of forests for a while now and Sokka knew that there were hundreds of things that could hurt his son. The worst possible scenario, of course, being fire benders.

Tao tripped over a branch and landed hard. Sokka sprinted to him as soon as he heard his son's cries. "What's wrong?" he asked when he picked Tao up carefully.

"My...knee," he said between sniffles. "Oh, let's go see if aunt Katara can make it better," he said walking back to where the group was waiting for them. Tao was definitely the adventurous type and was always getting hurt no matter how careful Sokka tried to be with him.

The two of them walked back to Aang and Katara who were ready to get going. They wanted to get as far away as possible because lately Zuko had been getting way too close for comfort. Only yesterday Appa had nearly been shot down by the insane jerk prince.

"Hey, hurry up," Katara called finally seeing her brother and nephew coming out of the woods. "We're coming, we're coming," huffed Sokka as he got up onto Appa and set Tao down next to him.

"So where are we going now?" asked Sokka as Appa lifted up into the air and they were once again flying closer to their destination, the North Pole. "I know this city near a huge lake, it's called Volny," explained Aang.

"While we practice you can go buy supplies," Katata said stubbornly. Sokka nodded just happy that he wouldn't have to sit around and get drowned while the other two splashed around in the giant lake.

Then again, it wasn't like he had had such great luck in cities either.

Zuko paced around the map room trying to stay calm as he listened to his uncle. "But Prince Zuko I need a new Pai Sho board, my last one was burned up in our lasrt attempt to capture the avatar," his Uncle said trying to talk his nephew into making one stop in his feverish attempt to catch up with the young monk.

"We are so close! If we stop now we may lose him!" growled Zuko barely able to contain the fire that was roaring in his throat. "Yes, but the avatar has to stop too, if we continue traveling at this pace we may pass him." Zuko finally sighed in defeat, "Fine, we can stop at the next port!" Zuko conceded. "I might as well see if anybody there has heard anything about him."


	2. Chapter 2

Sokka watched as Katara and Aang practiced some little water trick. He had always been a little wary of benders, even his sister and Aang. There was just something about the power that they possessed and he lacked that he had never liked. Even with a boomerang and club he was no match for them.

Tao was playing with a small toy that Aang had made him when he was born. Sokka didn't want him too near the water because even though Aang and Katara were getting better there bending was still way too unpredictable to be safe.

"Hey Sokka," Katara called walking over to him as she tried to wring out her hair. I think the shops should be open now." They had been up all night because it was a full moon and the two water benders hadn't wanted to waste the extra power that they gained from it. Sokka hadn't wanted to fall asleep because he had been woken by to many water whips to trust his sister with the added power.

"Alright, I'll go get supplies while you play around," he sighed as he stood up. "Do you want to go with me or stay with Aunt Katara and Aang?" asked Sokka picking up Tao.

"Daddy!" he said wrapping his small arms around Sokka's neck. Sokka had no issue agreeing and the two of them walked towards the small town that they hoped had what they needed.

It was a long walk, the group had stopped camping near towns because Zuko was better at getting information from the locals lately. They didn't know who they could trust anymore. It wasn't unusual for them to only send one in to the town depending on how much they needed. Somehow Sokka always got chosen for that job.

He started to look through the stalls mainly looking for food, they had everything else that they needed except for a few healing herbs that Katara always wanted to have around. He sighed as he looked over the list that Katara had made, she never wrote down anything that was easy to find.

He sighed in annoyance and shifted Tao onto his hip, "I'm bored," whined Tao, wiping his eyes sleepily.

"I know, we should be done soon," promised Sokka stroking his head. It was weird to finally be feeling hair, Tao had been bald for over nine months since his birth.

"Red," said Tao pointing.

"Red?" asked Sokka looking up. His stomach dropped when he saw two fire nation soldiers walking through the stalls. They were holding a drawing of Aang and asking if anyone had seen him anywhere.

This was not good. Sokka tried to stay calm as he walked away from the soldiers. If he acted suspicious they might come after him and he could not risk it when Tao was with him.

Sokka started walking back to the forest, he needed to get away from the soldiers at least. Depending on where they were from they might recognize him. As soon as they were out of eye sight of the guards he took off running. He could not chance them seeing him.

Sokka took a chance to glance back behind wondering if anybody had recognized him, he didn't see the man that he fell over. He turned to apologize and nearly yelled in surprise when he saw the familiar scarred face of Zuko staring back at him. "You!" they both yelled at the same time.

Sokka tried to stand but Zuko grabbed the front of his tunic and threw him down, "Where is the avatar, peasant?" yelled Zuko slamming Sokka into the ground.

"I don't know," growled Sokka trying to throw the older teenager off of him.

"Ha, I know you travel with him! Tell me where he is!" yelled Zuko heating up his hands. Sokka cried out in pain as the fire touched his skin.

"Daddy!" called Tao scared. Sokka had dropped him when he fell and he was now standing a few feet away from the fight.

"Daddy?" asked Zuko curiously looking at the little boy.

"Stay away from him!" yelled Sokka punching Zuko when he was distracted. Zuko snarled as Sokka shoved him away from him and was finally able to get up.

Sokka tried to run but he felt a heated hand grab him around the ankle and pull him back down. Sokka fell hard on his stomach. Suddenly there was a heated hand wrapped around his throat. "I do not want to play games!" roared Zuko. "Tell me where the avatar is!"

"And what if I don't!" growled Sokka barely able to breathe. Zuko's sadistic smile was back on his face as he looked back at Tao, the boy had only been able to run so far with his small legs. "Do you really want me to answer that," he laughed.

"Stay away from him!" Sokka growled clawing at Zuko's eyes. Zuko tried to claw him with fire but he missed because he was blinded from the cuts that Sokka had just inflicted on his eyes.

This time Sokka got away from Zuko as he ran threw the crowd looking for Tao. There was no way that his son had gotten to far away, so why couldn't Sokka find him? "No! No! Noooo!" Sokka looked around desperately when he heard his son screaming.

Sokka's throat made a strangled noise when he saw that a fire nation guard had Tao and was being threatened. "I told you I don't like games," growled Zuko surprising him form behind and grabbing Sokka's wrist so that there was no way Sokka could fight him. "Tell me where the avatar is, or I will kill the kid," he whispered so that only Sokka could hear.

"I don't know!" Sokka snarled. There was no way he could lead Zuko to Aang and Katara but how was he supposed to save his son.

"Why would I believe that?" growled Zuko heating up his hands so that Sokka winced as his wrists were scorched.

"I-I don't!" he yelled again trying to get time to think of something.

"Fine," sighed Zuko infuriated, "Then I'll just have to make him come to us!" Sokka's jaw dropped as Zuko motioned to the soldier and the two of them dragged Sokka and Tao down towards the docks, where his ship was waiting.

Katara paced around the campsite wondering when her brother would be back from the village. They really needed to get going! "Where is he?" she yelled sitting down next to the fire that the two of them had built.

"Maybe he couldn't find something on your list," Aang shrugged. "Anyway, he should be back here soon enough, just be patient. Zuko won't find us in the middle of the forest." Katara glared at Aang so ferociously that the young monk shrank back.

"He has before!" she snarled.

Aang laughed nervously as he walked away slowly, he was glad that he wasn't the brunt of her wrath. At least not this time. He decided to watch her angry pacing from a safe distance on Appa's back.

"He should at least know better then keep Tao out this late!" she yelled angrily. Aang agreed with her and knew something was wrong. Sokka never stayed out after dark alone in a strange village, he was always careful about that. Something must have happened to make him be so late.

Sokka tried to look around the ship as he was dragged down to what he could only assume were cells. His hands were chained behind his back and he hadn't seen Tao since they had entered the ship, this situation was getting worse then he thought it could.

"Here's your new home," laughed the guard as he chained Sokka's arms to the wall. Sokka glared at him as he left, slamming the door behind him.

"Bastard," he growled as he fell to the ground. "What am I supposed to do now?" he grumbled his head fell back against the wall.

No! He couldn't just give up! He was the plan guy after all. But this was the first time that he was all on his own in a totally unfamiliar place. His head fell down and hit his chest, he couldn't help feeling hopeless when he had no idea where his baby was.

Zuko walked into the ship's steering room triumphant of his new captive resting down in the hold. His face fell when he saw that the brat that had come in with the peasant was sitting in the corner and his uncle seemed to be trying to console him.

"What are you doing?" growled Zuko walking over to see the two of them better.

"The poor boy is terrified, I am only taking care of him," said his uncle not turning around.

"Uncle! He is not a guest he is a prisoner! Could you act like it?" steamed Zuko trying not to lose his temper like always.

"Prince Zuko, the poor boy is in a strange place with strange people. Could you at least try and be a little sympathetic?" Zuko rolled his eyes, his uncle had to be one of the softest old men that he had ever met.

"Fine, just don't coddle him. I am going to see if I can use him as leverage over the water tribe peasant." Iroh shook his head as his nephew left the room. Zuko would have to learn that threats was not the only way to get what he wanted from people.

Iroh looked back at the small boy that had curled up in the corner as soon as he had been brought in. He had fallen asleep not too long after, he was now crying out in his sleep but Iroh didn't know how to help that. He decided to get up and walk over to his pai sho table and sit down, he could play himself for a while until the boy woke up. Iroh frowned, he hadn't even been able to ask what his name was.

Zuko walked back into the room where his uncle and the water peasant brat were, after he had trained. He figured that he better let some steam out before he lost his head and fried his best bargaining chip.

He walked into the room and was surprised to hear a small whisper from the corner. "Daddy?" Zuko looked and saw that the brat had finally woken up by he was still trying to hide in his little corner.

"I'm not your father," growled Zuko as he walked to where his uncle was now playing pai sho against himself. "What are you doing? The brat should be down in the holds just like his father!"

"Prince Zuko, you have tried the same approach too many times. Try something completely new and maybe your plans will work for once," Iroh said calmly not looking up from the game that he was winning against himself at.

"What the hell does that mean?" grumbled Zuko taking a seat across from his uncle. His uncle could sometimes make a reasonable point when he spoke in riddles, that is if Zuko could ever figure them out.

"I am saying, Prince Zuko, try a little patience and kindness and they may be more willing to help you," sighed Iroh. It saddened him a great deal that Zuko never seemed to think of kindness as a reaction.

"Right! They would tell me everything if I was just their best friend!" Iroh shook his head at his nephew's anger. He was acting just like his father and that worried Iroh more then anything.

"Zuko try whatever you like, but make it quick. I am afraid that if Zhao finds out about our prisoners we will all be in trouble."


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a week since he had captured the water tribe peasant and he still had no idea where the avatar was. He had no more patience and figured that maybe his uncle's idea would work. At this point he was willing to try anything.

Zuko sighed as he walked over to the water peasant brat and kneeled down so that he was closer to eye level with the toddler. "Hey, what's your name?" he asked trying to have the kindest voice he could manage.

The boy looked at him terrified and all around him as if looking for a way to escape. Zuko smiled a little, the kid seemed to act a lot like his father did. "T-Tao," he stammered finally looking back at the prince. Zuko was surprised at how blue the kid's eyes were, it was so obvious he was water tribe.

"Well Tao we are going to go and see your daddy. Will you come with me?" asked Zuko offering him his hand. Tao's eyes seemed to perk up at the mention of seeing his father and quickly took Zuko's hand.

Zuko picked him and walked towards the holding cells at the bottom of the ship. His uncle was an idiot if he thought that kindness would do anything. Fear was the only way to get things done.

Sokka was woken up by the sound of the lock of his cell opening. He was blinded for a moment as the torches in his cell were lit. He had been in the darkness for...he didn't know how long and the it took a little while for his eyes to adjust.

When they finally did he saw Zuko carrying Tao. He wanted to get his baby as far away from the other teenager but right now he could do nothing because his arms were still chained behind him and by now his entire arm had been rubbed raw and were bleeding.

"Daddy!" cried Tao running to Sokka as soon as Zuko set him down. Sokka bent over wishing that he could hug his son but his arms weren't able to move. Zuko seemed to notice his annoyance and walked with a key and unlocked the chains that were holding him.

Sokka could care less why Zuko was suddenly acting human, he just wanted to hold his baby. He had missed Tao so much! Sokka cuddled Tao against his chest and slowly stroked the hair that had really started to grow in the time that they had been apart.

"What do you want?" asked Sokka looking at Zuko who was standing in the corner.

"I want the avatar," stated Zuko coldly.

"I told you that I don't know where he is!" growled Sokka holding Tao closer. There was no way that he would let the bastard prince take his son away again.

"Peasant don't you dare tell me that you had no clue where they were headed! You travel with him!" he yelled grabbing the front of his tunic and picking him up off the floor.

"We didn't have a plan!" admitted Sokka. "We traveled to random places trying to avoid you and other fire nation ships." Zuko looked at him surprised, then he looked pissed.

"Fine! Then we'll just have to wait until he comes to save you!" Zuko snarled throwing Sokka against the wall. Tao cried out from all the noise and the sudden fall. "Shut that brat up!" yelled Zuko slamming the door behind him and locking it.

Sokka tried to soothe Tao as much as he could. He was just happy that he had his son back in his arms.

"So how'd the kindness idea work?" asked Iroh when his nephew returned. Zuko wouldn't look at his uncle as he collapsed onto a pillow across from him. "You lost your temper again, didn't you?" asked Iroh looking saddened.

"He doesn't know," growled Zuko. "My only clue to finding the avatar is an idiot! I will never be able to restore my honor!"

"Prince Zuko, restoring your honor is not something that only your father has the power to do," said Iroh resting his hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"You know nothing about honor!" roared Zuko throwing flame at his uncle so that Iroh had to back away so that he didn't get burned. "You are just a stupid old man! I don't even know why you came with me! You are useless!"

Zuko slammed the door behind him as he stomped down the hall. What did his uncle know? He should have been the firelord but because he was such failure he was banished just like Zuko.

Zuko walked into his room and lit the candles. The only thing that could make him feel better at a time like this was a good quiet meditation. He had to think of his next move.

Flashback

_Sokka was staring at the fire dreading the conversation that he was about to have with his sister. He knew that what he was going to say was important, especially because Aang had nearly been killed when Sokka had gotten caught by Jet. _

"_Hey Katara," he called pulling her over, "I want you to promise me something." _

"_What, Sokka?" she asked surprised by him suddenly being serious. _

"_If I ever get caught again, don't come after me." _

"_Sokka you can't be serious. There is no way that we could just leave you behind!" said Katara stunned that her brother would ever do something that scared her so much. _

"_Katara, I can handle myself. I am a warrior after all. I just can't see you put in danger again because I screwed up. Now promise me that if something like that were to happen you would stick by Aang and let me take care of myself." _

"_Fine, but I don't have to like it," said Katara finally conceding. Her brother would not have asked her something like that if he didn't absolutely believe in what he was saying. _

Sokka quietly sang a lullaby to Tao until he was asleep. He needed to find a way out of this because the avatar was not coming for him and he had no doubt that if Zuko ran out of patience Tao and himself were in trouble.


	4. Chapter 4

Sokka's eyes slowly opened and it took him a second to realize what had woken him up. Tao whimpered again in pain as he tried to move a little in Sokka's arm. Sokka looked down at him and his heart sank.

Tao's face was a pale color and even though it was freezing in the cell Tao was sweating and he was coughing. Sokka rested his hand against Tao's forehead and cringed at the heat that was radiating from him.

"Oh no," moaned Sokka. There was no way that Zuko would lift a finger to save the child. He hated them and Sokka knew it. Tao coughed again and this time his entire body shook from the force of it.

"Daddy?" asked Tao looking up at his father.

"Shhh, it'll be alright," Sokka said pulling him closer and trying to provide any heat that he could. Sokka tried to sing to Tao so that he could sleep but soon Tao started shaking so hard that he couldn't even talk without stammering.

That was it! Sokka had to do something! He laid Tao down gently and walked over to the door. "Hey! Guard! Get in here! Guard!" yelled Sokka banging against the door. He had to get his attention somehow and this was the only way.

After yelling for a few minutes the door flew open and the guard stared down at him. "What do you want?" he growled.

"I need to speak with Prince Zuko! Please it's an emergency!" begged Sokka.

"I will see if he will come," growled the guard rolling his eyes. Sokka was about to beg to talk to Zuko himself but the door was slammed in his face and Sokka could already hear the guard walking away.

He walked back to Tao and rested him against his chest praying that he could hold on for at least a little bit longer.

Zuko snarled when he was woken up by someone knocking on his door. How dare that idiot disturb him! Zuko slowly stood up and answered the door. "What?" he yelled.

"The prisoner has requested that you visit him," the guard answered. Zuko could tell that the guard was not happy to be there.

"And what makes you think that I would go and see him at this time of the night?" he yelled. "I will see him in the morning, if I feel like it!"

"He was begging, I think whatever the reason might be it might be an emergency." Zuko rolled his eyes. Why did the one sympathetic guard have to be on duty tonight?

"Fine, I will go see what kind of emergency he has," growled Zuko grabbing his shirt from the floor and following the guard down to the holding cells.

When he opened the door to the cell he could immediately tell what the water peasant's emergency was. The baby was obviously sick, even from the doorway he could see the shaking.

Sokka looked up as soon as the door was opened. Zuko was standing there staring at him with a surprised look. "I know that we are enemies but please help me!" Sokka begged. Begging was not something that he was used to but he was willing to do anything to save his son.

Zuko turned to the guard and whispered, "Go wake up Kaya, we will be in need of her services." The guard nodded and bowed before walking back out of the cell.

"Who's Kaya?" asked Sokka.

"She's a healer that we have onboard," said Zuko leaning against the wall.

"Thank you," Sokka whispered. He couldn't believe he would ever be saying that to the bastard prince.

"I'm not doing this to be nice! It would just look bad if one of my prisoners died before I caught the avatar," growled Zuko. Sokka smirked glad that he didn't have to be grateful to Zuko anymore.

Both boys jumped when they heard someone knock at the door. Zuko opened it up and an old woman with white hair walked in. She worried Sokka but if she could help Tao then he would have to trust her.

"Let me see the patient," she said. Sokka slowly stood up and brought Tao closer to her. She made tsking noises as she poked and prodded him. He was about to say something but she beat him to it, "I have to take him to the infirmary, it is worst then I thought." She held out her hands as if to take him but Sokka backed up.

"If he's going anywhere I want to go with him." Zuko looked pissed at Sokka and Kaya looked mildly amused.

"I can understand that, come on then,"said Kaya shrugging. Both teenagers looked at the older woman surprised. Sokka recovered first and followed the woman happy that he was getting his way.

Zuko sighed annoyed but even he respected Kaya. He followed the rest of them, he didn't want to risk letting Sokka just roam the ship.

When they made it to the infirmary Kaya shut the door before either of them could go inside. "Hey," said Sokka surprised. He was about to knock on the door when Zuko stopped him.

"She always sees patients alone, trust me, you do not want to disturb her." Sokka nodded and leaned against the wall before sliding down and sitting on the floor. Zuko leaned against the wall wondering what he should do while the two of them waited for Kaya to finish.

He was starting nod off when he heard a weird noise. He looked down and was surprised to see that water peasant had tears in his eyes. What the hell was his problem? Zuko rolled his eyes before saying, "He'll be fine, Kaya is one of the best."

Sokka was surprised that Zuko had said anything that attempted at comforting him. "You don't care, so don't act like it," spat Sokka.

Zuko was surprised at the venom that was in Sokka's voice. It pissed him off! He was trying help the stupid peasant and he was giving him crap? "I'm not so heartless that I want the kid to die like that!"

"Really? If you are just so wonderful then how the hell could you go around trying to capture the world's last hope just for fun?"

Zuko grabbed the front of Sokka's tunic ready to punch him as he growled, "How dare you assume I do this for fun! You have no idea why I do this!"

"Then tell me!" Zuko was surprised by the challenge but he was not about to take the bait.

"Don't you dare order me around!" hissed Zuko.

"I'm not, I just want an answer!" The two of them glared at each other, neither of them wanting to be the first to give up.

"I try to capture the avatar because that is the only way I can go home," growled Zuko shoving Sokka to the floor.

Sokka looked up at Zuko confused, he didn't understand. "Wh-what do you mean?" asked Sokka trying to stand up.

"Why the hell do you care?"

"I don't! I was just asking!" growled Sokka turning his back to Zuko. Zuko was surprised by the sudden brush off. The two teenagers stood there awkwardly for what seemed like forever before Zuko decided to break the silence with a question that had been bugging him.

"Where is the kid's mother?" asked Zuko.

Sokka finally turned around to look at Zuko. The question had caught him completely off guard. There really wasn't a good answer to that question. "He doesn't have one," growled Sokka. "Why, do you need something else to use against us?"

"No! I was just asking!" growled Zuko.

"I'll tell you if you tell me what you meant when you said you couldn't go home without the avatar," mumbled Sokka. He didn't want to admit to his weird ability but he really wanted to know what Zuko was talking about.

"You really think I would have to bargain to get information from you?" Zuko sneered. "If I really wanted to know I would just torture it out of you," he smiled sadistically as Sokka backed up. He hated that stupid smile, Zuko was never scarier then when he smiled like that.

"Could you two be any louder?" growled Kaya as she walked back out of the infirmary. Both of the boys turned, surprised that their conversation had been interrupted. Sokka was about to ask how Tao was but Kaya held up her hand. "He is sleeping right now, he should be fine as long as he takes the medicine that I am giving him."

"Thank you!" Sokka breathed as he followed the older woman into the room. Tao was asleep on a white cot and he was wrapped in a blanket.

Zuko was about to follow him in when Kaya caught his arm and motioned him back out of the room. "What?" he asked annoyed.

"Putting a warrior in a cell is more of a mental strain rather then a physical one but if you put a toddler in there it is the exact opposite."

"What are you trying to say?" growled Zuko wishing that people could just say what they meant and not always speak in random riddles.

"I am saying that if you put them back down in the cell the child will die next time. I am not trying to tell you what to do but I do not believe you want either of them to die." Zuko closed his eyes as he thought, what she said was true but at the same time he couldn't be so kind to prisoners! He must be weak like his father said just for thinking about it!

"Fine, I will set up a different room for them," growled Zuko. "Keep them here until I return," he said turning to a guard that was passing in the hall.

He stormed down the hall and walked towards where he knew his uncle would be sitting playing that stupid pai sho game. "Uncle!" he called when he couldn't find him at the pai sho table.

"Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh walking out of the back room with a new pot of hot tea, "Is something wrong?" he asked noticing his nephew's anger immediately.

"I need you to find a room that would be suitable for the prisoners," growled Zuko before turning to leave.

"Wait! A room? You're not going to keep them in the holding cells?" asked Iroh confused. He knew that his nephew was a good person but this was the first time that Zuko was actually showing it to someone other then his mother.

"Yes," growled Zuko.

"What made you make such a change?" asked Iroh smiling. He was so proud that his nephew was making choices that were very different then his brother would have.

"Kaya told me that if I left them in the cell the kid would die from it. I am only doing this because it would look bad if one of them died before I could take them all back to the fire nation and regain my honor."

Iroh sighed as his nephew stormed back out of the room. He prayed to Agni that that was not the only reason. If Zuko continued to think like that the fire nation was going to be in even more trouble then it was now.


	5. Chapter 5

Sokka was surprised that the guard lead them to a room instead of back down to the holding cells that they had been kept in so far. The room was much warmer and there was an actual bed in the room, unlike the cells.

Sokka walked over to the bed and laid down resting Tao down on his chest. He didn't like the look of red wrapped around his son but he would not be petty about the gift that the older healer had given him.

There was a light knock on the door before it opened and the man that Sokka knew was Zuko's uncle walked in. "Hello, I thought that you two might be hungry," he said walking in and setting down two trays of food.

Sokka tried to look indifferent at the food that had been placed before him but his stomach was nearly empty and when the smell reached his nostrils his stomach let out a low growl. Sokka sighed in defeat and set Tao down on the bed before joining the older man for a meal.

"Don't worry, I don't bite," said Iroh as Sokka cautiously watched him as the two of them ate. Sokka looked down slightly embarrassed. "So how is he doing?" Iroh asked looking at the bed where Tao was still fast asleep.

"Better, I think," said Sokka unsure of the answer himself. Tao looked better but he had no idea what that healer had done. The longer he had to think about it the more it bugged him.

"I am glad to hear that, Kaya is a very good healer. I think she actually trained in the earth nation," Iroh said thinking aloud. "So how old is he?" asked Iroh looking back at the bed.

"About a year and a half," said Sokka. He couldn't understand why this old man was acting like this. He was actually being nice.

"He is very smart for being so young..."

"Uncle what are you doing?" growled Zuko who was standing in the doorway. Iroh smiled as he turned to look at his nephew.

"Hello Prince Zuko, I was just having a nice conversation. What are you doing?" Sokka was surprised at how calm Iroh looked even though Zuko was about ready to explode.

"Could I have a word with you in the hall?" whispered Zuko with barely controlled anger. Iroh nodded and stood up to follow his nephew. Iroh already knew what his nephew was about to say but he might as well listen to him say it again.

As soon as Iroh shut the door Zuko immediately started, "They are prisoners! Why do you continue to treat them like...like..."

"Like people?" interjected Iroh. "I do it, Prince Zuko, because that is what they are. I choose not to torture and be cruel to people that are captured as prisoners because I have been in their position and I still remember that one earth bender that showed me an ounce of kindness."

"Uncle, you have become soft!"

"Weak and kind are two different things, and I have to say that right now I am not the weak one." Zuko snarled as his Uncle walked down the hall away from him. He was the only one that could say things that angered him so much!

He tried to calm down a little before he walked into the room where the water peasant was still waiting to see exactly how 'kind' his Uncle had been. He was surprised to see that he was leaning over the bed. "What are you doing?" growled Zuko.

"I'm taking care of my son," mumbled Sokka as he picked up Tao, who had just woken up. "Something I am pretty sure you would know nothing about."

"Why the hell would I want to know how to take care of kids?" Sokka shrugged as he sat down at the plate that Iroh had brought specifically for Tao and started to help him eat.

Zuko bit his lip as he thought about what he was going to say next, his uncle was starting to make him soft. "If you want you can walk around the ship. Your door will be left unlocked," Zuko said standing up.

"Really?" asked Sokka surprised.

"It's not like you can escape, the whole ship is patrolled by guards and we are in the middle of the ocean."

"Oh, thanks," mumbled Sokka. Zuko was acting weirder and weirder all the time. He was actually acting...human. That was a side of him that Sokka had never seen. Zuko nodded before walking back out of the room and shutting the door behind him. Sokka listened carefully but he didn't hear the lock.

It was night time when Sokka finally decided to take Zuko up on his offer and go walk around the ship. He figured that there would be less guards out at night and maybe just a little bit safer.

Sokka slowly turned the handle to his room and was actually surprised when it opened. He still felt like he was sneaking around even if Zuko had said that it was alright. Tao was a lot less cautious then he was and ran down the hall as soon as the door was finally open.

Sokka smiled as he chased Tao down the hall, he must really be feeling better if he had this much energy. Then again he had slept all day.

Sokka tried to stop Tao as he ran up a flight of stairs. They hadn't run into guards yet and he didn't want Tao to be first to find one.

Zuko stopped at his training and turned, surprised to see the water brat running out on deck and the peasant following closely behind. He stood still and watched as the kid laughed when his father finally caught him and lifted him over his head.

Sokka laughed as he set Tao on his shoulder and looked around the deck. He was surprised to see Zuko standing there and watching him. Sokka tried to ignore him as he walked over to the railing.

Tao laughed giddily as water sprayed his face. Sokka smiled, he hadn't seen Tao this happy since they had been brought on the ship.

Zuko couldn't help but laugh at the kid's excitement. He had been on the sea for almost four years now and he had never been that happy to have the saltwater sprayed in his face.

Sokka looked back surprised to hear the prince laugh, it was a strange but...nice noise. "Birdie!"

"What?" asked Sokka looking away from Zuko. He was surprised to see that there was actually a messenger hawk flying towards them. Sokka had seen them sometimes but they had always meant that the fire nation was close.

The hawk landed right next to them on the railing and seemed to be looking at Sokka quizzically. Tao reached out to pet the bird, but he was surprised when the bird started to ruffle its feathers and pulled back his hand.

"It's okay, you can pet him," said Zuko softly. Sokka stiffened as soon as he heard the fire teen so close to him. He hadn't heard him move from the other side of the deck but now he was standing right next to them. "They won't bite," Zuko promised when he noticed Tao hesitate.

Tao smiled and carefully petted the bird's head with his tiny fingers. The bird nuzzled into his hand and made a cooing noise as Tao laughed gleefully. Zuko smiled at Tao, it reminded him of the better times he had had with his family, right after Azula had been born.

Sokka looked up surprised to see Zuko smiling. It was so weird to see him like that, but Sokka liked it. His smile was so much cuter looking then his glare. Wait...cuter? What was he thinking? He must be losing his mind after being kept as a prisoner for so long.

Zuko looked over and was confused by the troubled look on Sokka's face. Then again what could he expect, he was the teen's biggest enemy. "I have to go," said Zuko taking the letter the bird had brought and walked back to his room.

He slowly opened it up when he made it to his room and started reading it. Zuko's jaw dropped when he finally read it. This couldn't be happening. Why would Azula be coming to visit him?


	6. Chapter 6

Zuko paced the room as his uncle read the letter. "What is she doing? Azula would never just leave the fire nation! Do you think father ordered her to do something?"

Iroh looked over the letter once again understanding his nephew's paranoia towards his sister. So rarely in the royal family of the fire nation did they actually do something just to help another.

"I can not even start to figure out what her true motives are from this letter," sighed Iroh.

"Maybe she is just coming to find out if the rumors about the avatar are true for herself," thought Zuko hopefully.

Iroh shook his head, "I do not think that my brother would worry about such things, he has others to do it, that he trusts." Zuko sat down, finally stopping his pacing as he tried to think about what to do. There was a possibility that Azula had learned of his prisoners but there was no way he could let her interrogate them. She would kill Tao.

"What are we going to do?" mumbled Zuko as his head dropped onto the table.

"What has you so worried, Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh surprised by his nephew's actions. Zuko never showed emotion in front of people, other then anger and especially never this kind of hopelessness.

"She'll kill them," mumbled Zuko not looking at his uncle. He hated feeling this kind of hopelessness. "Sokka isn't weak but Tao is just a baby!" Zuko finally chanced a look up and was surprised to see that Iroh was smirking. "What are you happy about at a time like this?"

"When did you start calling them by their names?" asked Iroh as he took a sip of his tea.

Zuko looked over at his uncle, "I-I don't know," mumbled Zuko as he stood up and started to pace around the room again. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It was just a question," shrugged Iroh. "But for the Tao issue, I can take care of him while Azula's here."

"And just leave Sokka to her?" asked Zuko. It wasn't exactly what Zuko wanted to do but it was better then nothing. "Now all I have to do is tell him," sighed Zuko.

Sokka set Tao down on the bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. "Goodnight," he said before kissing his son on the forehead, "Sweet dreams." He was surprised when he heard a knock on the door.

That was the first time, usually people just barged in. Sokka looked back at Tao happy to see that he was already asleep. He walked to the door and as soon as he opened it he was pulled out of the room and thrown against the wall. "What the..." he wasn't able to finish his sentence before a cloth was shoved over his mouth and his sight started to swim.

When he woke up his entire body ached and he was back in the cell with chains wrapped around his arms. "This was unexpected," Sokka growled as he tried to twist his arms looking for anyway to get free.

After what seemed like hours Sokka gave up, his wrists were completely worn through and he was exhausted. That stupid drug had made him weaker then he thought it would after it knocked him out.

"Are you finally awake?" asked Zuko as he walked into the room with a tray of food. Sokka just glared at him, he couldn't understand why but he felt like Zuko had betrayed him. He knew he had been stupid to start trusting the insane prince.

"You know most people respond with words when someone asks them a question," Zuko said sitting down right in front of Sokka. "Why the hell are looking at me like that?" growled Zuko as he pulled out a key to unlock Sokka's restraints. "I need to talk to you and you being stupid will help no one."

"Where is Tao?" Sokka growled finally.

"He is with my uncle, he'll be fine," Zuko promised. He pushed the tray of food towards Sokka, "Eat, you've been out for three days." Sokka didn't move as he tried to think of a plan. There was no way that he could stay here any longer. He had already waited way too long to escape.

"What was with the sudden change of attitude?" asked Sokka after the two had sat in silence for a long time.

"My sister is coming, if I do not produce a completely broken prisoner to her she will break them herself." Zuko had no idea why he was telling Sokka all of this but he just couldn't seem to stop. "If she found out about your son I am almost positive that she would kill him."

Sokka finally stopped glaring at Zuko and just looked surprised. Sokka didn't know that firebenders were capable of any type of kindness. "So she will think that he is dead and you are so traumatized you can not even speak. If you screw up at all in your little charade then both our heads are on the chopping block."

"I'll do it," promised Sokka as he finally started to eat the food that Zuko had brought in. "But what was with the way that you brought me down here?"

"Are you questioning my methods?" growled Zuko.

"Yeah."

Zuko rolled his eyes, this seriously had to be the only person alive that would be in his position and be that daring. "Because I need the look of a struggle and I couldn't think of another way." Sokka nodded figuring that was as good of a reason as any.

"So you have a sister?" asked Sokka not liking the silence that passed between them.

"Yes, Azula is younger then me, but she was always the better one. I hate her, but there is nothing that I can do about it until I can go back home."

"Why can't you go home?" asked Sokka surprised by what Zuko was saying. He didn't think that it was possible to hate a sibling, sure Katara got on his nerves sometimes but he would always protect her.

"I am done talking," Zuko said standing up. He couldn't believe that he had allowed this conversation to go on for so long. He grabbed the tray and left the cell, locking the door behind him.

Sokka sighed as he leaned back against the wall. It was strange to have a conversation like that with one of his worst enemies. Now all he could do was wait to meet this sadistic sister that Zuko hated so much.


	7. Chapter 7

Zuko stood on the deck of his ship as he watched the other fire nation ship come along his. Azula was standing there with a knowing grin, what she knew worried Zuko. He tried to stay calm as Azula crossed the bridges connecting there ships and walked over to him.

"It has been a long time sister, I am glad to see you," Zuko said stiffly.

"I wish I could say the same," laughed Azula as she walked past him barely giving him a look. Zuko clenched his fists as he tried to control his anger, he would not allow his sister to get the better of him.

"So where is our uncle?" asked Azula looking around the deck.

"He got ill and has been forced to retire to his room and is sorry that he can not see you," Zuko lied. Iroh would much rather stay and play with Tao then have to deal with the politics that were included in his niece's visit. Zuko wished he had that luxury. "I must ask what the reason for your visit is," Zuko finally said. He was tired of waiting for her to tell him.

"Father is wondering why it is taking you so long to find the avatar. He expected more from the prince of the Fire Nation." It took all of Zuko's strength not to hit his sister. What did she know about any of this? She had always been good at everything that he had had to work so hard at.

"I am closer to the avatar then I have ever been before. I will be home before the comet arrives," promised Zuko.

Azula laughed at how serious her brother was, there was no way he could be serious. "What makes this lead any different then all the others?" she asked.

"That's for me to know," Zuko said turning and leaving his sister standing on deck. Probably not one of his better ideas but he could not stand being around her any longer.

Iroh was surprised to see his nephew walk into the room. "I thought Azula should be arriving," said Iroh standing up.

"She's here, I had to get away from her," Zuko explained as he leaned against the wall.

"Zuko!" cheered Tao as he walked over to the teen that had just walked in. Zuko looked down surprised that the kid had learned his name or would come to him.

"Hey kid," said Zuko patting him on the head awkwardly. Iroh laughed at the strange action, it was so out of character for Zuko.

"You might want to go and make sure that Azula isn't doing anything to the ship or the crew," pointed out Iroh after Zuko had been hiding in his room for almost an hour.

Zuko nodded and slowly stood up wishing that he didn't have to deal with his sister but he knew if he didn't no one would. He sighed as he walked down the hall looking for his sister. She could be anywhere.

"So Zuzu, you have a prisoner?" asked Azula. Zuko looked up surprised to see Azula sitting on a rail looking at him. "Two, actually, if I heard correctly."

"Yes, one died though," Zuko said trying to hide his hatred. Something that his sister never did.

"So where is the other one?" asked Azula annoyed at her brother's vagueness.

"Down in the holding cells." Azula jumped down from her seat and motioned for Zuko to lead the way. Zuko sighed as he started walking, this was going to get interesting.

Sokka was having a hard time concentrating, his eyesight was fuzzy and his tongue felt like lead. Zuko must have put something in his last meal. There was no other reason for him to feel like this.

He could hear the door open and could tell that two people walked in. His eyesight was so messed up he couldn't tell which was Zuko and which was his sister. He didn't really care he just wished that the room would stop spinning.

Azula looked surprised when she saw the prisoner. She didn't know that her brother had it in him to do something like this.

Zuko smiled when he saw that the drugs he had used were working. Sokka was also doing a good job with not asking any questions. "Would you mind if I questioned him?" asked Azula turning to him suddenly.

"Why would you want to question him? He hasn't talked since we tortured him, all we have to do is wait for the avatar to come to us."

"I know, but I would still like to try. Do you mind?"

Zuko wanted to scream yes but he knew that would look way too suspicious. "Of course not, just don't kill him. I need him for the avatar," Zuko said walking out of the room. He prayed that the drugs would hold out during the interrogation so that maybe he wouldn't feel all the pain.

Sokka saw that one of the people left the room. He kind of hoped that it was Zuko's sister but he still couldn't tell. A few minutes later two more firenation walked in and lifted him off the floor.

This couldn't be good. Sokka couldn't tell where they were taking him but he did notice that they weren't going up to the deck. Finally they walked into a dark room that seemed to have weird stains on the wall. Sokka's eyesight had started to get more clear but he was still pretty out of it.

He could only watch as the gaurds latched his hands into some tight chains and left the room again. Whatever had been affecting his senses was quickly wearing off and he was becoming more and more aware of his surroundings.

"So you won't talk," drawled a cold voice behind him. Sokka looked up and finally saw the girl that Zuko had been ranting about before. He was surprised at the sadistic smile she had as she walked over to the wall, it was the same one that he hated seeing on Zuko. He should expect that since they were siblings.

Sokka looked wondering what she was planning on doing. His eyes popped open when he noticed the whip that she was grabbing off the wall. "I think I might be able to change that."

Sokka tried to keep the dead look on his face but it was becoming harder and harder. "This should be fun," she laughed as she walked up to him. She set her hand in the middle of his back and set it on fire. Sokka gasped as his skin started to boil under the heat.

Azula laughed at the pain that she was causing. It was so rare in the firenation to actually be able to deal with prisoners so this was a rare treat for her. She wished that the prisoner would start screaming or something, his lack of show was annoying her.

She sighed in annoyance when the prisoner just shook in pain. This was starting to get boring, she walked back and grabbed the whip that she had brought before. Sokka's eyes widened when he saw what the princess was holding but he would not let her win.

She smiled as she ran the whip across the burnt skin on Sokka's back. He let out a surprised gasp at how much pain that small movement caused. Azula smiled, this was starting to get fun.

Zuko walked into the room wondering what was taking his sister so long. He walked into the room that his guards were standing in front of. "No one is to disturb," said the guard blocking his way.

"It is my ship and unless you want to get thrown off you will move," growled Zuko. The guard didn't move, Zuko was seriously losing his patience.

"Move!" he growled throwing the guard away from the door. He slammed into the wall across from them and Zuko walked into the room. He was too shocked to say anything. Sokka was on the floor unmoving in a pool of blood and Azula was standing over him with a whip.

"What are you doing?" asked Zuko, "I thought I told you not to kill him!"

"He's not dead, he just passed out from the pain. I have to wait until he wakes up or it's not fun. I am really surprised that he didn't say anything," she whined. Zuko could not believe that he was related to her.

"This interrogation is over," Zuko said walking over to Sokka. Azula shrugged and threw him the keys that belonged to Sokka's chain. As soon as the shackles were off of his wrist Sokka just fell to the floor and moaned but his eyes were still closed.

Zuko picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. It was the only way he could carry him without touching any of the fresh wounds. Sokka was lighter then Zuko thought and that made his job easier as he marched to his room.

He tried to drop Sokka gently on to the bed but he still flinched. Zuko ran to his cupboard and pulled out burn medicine and bandages. He had gotten expert at wrapping burns after his father had scarred him, he was too proud to let anybody see the injury at the time.

Zuko slowly started to spread the medicine over the cuts. He knew that the medicine stung but it would make sure that Sokka didn't get any infections that would kill him. Zuko had almost covered all the wounds when he saw Sokka's eyes fly open.

"What are you doing?" he yelled jumping off the bed. He howled in pain when he hit the floor.

"I am making sure that your cuts heal," Zuko said offering his hand to Sokka. Sokka looked at his hand as if Zuko was about to fry him with his firebending. "Sokka please! I can't have you dying on my ship!"

Sokka glared at him as he slowly tried to stand up. He hissed in pain when he fell again. Zuko rolled his eyes as he offered his hand again, "You are seriously hurt, right now is not the time to be stubborn," growled Zuko. Sokka finally took Zuko's hand. Zuko practically had to lift Sokka back onto the bed because he was so weak from blood loss.

Sokka tried to stay calm as Zuko ran his fingers over his back. It was too much like what Jet had done to him. He flinched every time Zuko touched him but it wasn't from pain.

"What's wrong, does it hurt?" Zuko finally asked when he noticed how badly Sokka kept flinching.

"N-no, "Sokka stammered trying to keep his voice from shaking. It was so hard with the tears welling up in his eyes. He had been able to keep that night out of his mind except in his dreams ever since Tao was born but now it was coming back full force.

Zuko tried to finish as fast as he could so that whatever was bugging Sokka could end. Soon enough he was wrapping the bandages around the wounds.

Finally he was finished and Sokka was huddled in the corner. Zuko had never seen him act like this before, something really had to be wrong. But right now that was not his main concern, his sister was still on the ship. "Try to sleep, if you need anything there will be a guard right outside the door," Zuko said standing up.

He walked out the door and locked it behind him. Hopefully his sister would have no idea where he was hiding his prisoner, but he knew her better then that. All he could do was get her off the ship.

"Zuzu, you always ruin the fun," whined Azula when she saw her brother.

"He is my last key home and I can't have you killing him just for fun," growled Zuko.

Azula laughed at her brother's anger, he was always so easy to manipulate! "Fine, I guess I better leave. I will be reporting to father everything I saw," she said as if it were a threat. Zuko nodded understanding, wondering what she really would tell their father.


	8. Chapter 8

**ArrayePL-Yes it is still in book one but all the characters are about two years older**

Sokka woke up surprised. He had just heard a door close but he couldn't see who had walked in. "Are you feeling any better?" asked Zuko sitting down on the bed.

"Yeah, thanks," mumbled Sokka. He hated feeling this weak next to an enemy! He was surprised that Zuko laid down next to him. "What are you doing?" asked Sokka finally turning to look at him.

"Going to sleep, it's the middle of the night," Zuko said turning to look Sokka in the face, "this is my room after all." Zuko was surprised at the look of terror that crossed Sokka's face, he quickly made it go back to neutral.

Zuko was confused but figured it was none of his business and decided to go to sleep. "Where's Tao?" asked Sokka. Zuko sighed as he opened his eyes again.

"I told you before, he is with my uncle." Sokka nodded and tried to close his eyes but having someone this close was just too weird. "What's wrong?" asked Zuko noticing Sokka's weird look.

"I-is it okay if I sleep on the floor?" asked Sokka. Zuko looked at him strangely, Sokka was being weird.

"Why?" Zuko asked perplexed. There was no way Sokka could tell him the truth, nobody really knew the truth.

"Never-mind," said Sokka trying to just close his eyes and fall asleep, Zuko did the same.

Zuko rose with the sun, like always. He hated wasting the day like his uncle who seemed fine with it. He walked back into his room after his morning training. Sokka was still asleep which was good because he had to change his bandages and Sokka seemed weird about any touching.

He started to take some of the bandages off and was surprised to see a long scar that covered his stomach. It looked too precise to be a wound but what other reason would he have for a scar like that?

Zuko couldn't help himself, he ran a finger slowly over the scar. He was surprised when Sokka grabbed his hand, "What the hell are you doing?" growled Sokka dangerously.

"I'm changing your bandages," growled Zuko heating up his hand. Sokka immediately dropped it, tired of getting burned. "How did you get that scar?" asked Zuko pointing to it.

"It's nothing!" growled Sokka trying to cover it. "J-just an old injury."

"There is no way that could be a wound, tell me how you got it!"

"You wouldn't believe me!" mumbled Sokka as he tried to stand up. Zuko shoved him back down, which wasn't hard with Sokka still so injured.

"Try me," commanded Zuko. Sokka tried to think up a lie, there was no way he could tell Zuko the truth. It felt like Zuko's amber eyes were burning into him, making his skin crawl.

"You know how I said that Tao didn't have a mother, I was telling the truth. I was the one that gave birth to him and that's my scar from it," Sokka growled. Zuko's eyes widened as he listened to Sokka's story.

"But...you're a guy..."

"Yeah, I noticed," laughed Sokka sarcastically. Zuko shook his head as he walked out of the room. There was no way! How dare that peasant make a fool of him!

"What is wrong, Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh passing him in the hall.

"That stupid water peasant is trying to make a fool of me! Even after I helped him!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Iroh curious as to what Sokka had done to anger his nephew this much.

"There was a strange scar on his stomach. I asked him about it and he said that it was from giving birth to his son!" Iroh looked at Zuko curiously, with a thoughtful look. "What?" asked Zuko confused.

"I have heard of such things happening, Kaya even said she helped in one of those deliveries, but I have never actually met one myself. But that raises the question of who is the other father..."

"Wait!" interrupted Zuko completely dumbfounded, "So he wasn't lying? But how is that possible? That's just wrong!"

"I believe it has something to do with the moon. It is a rare ability that I have never heard of outside of the water tribe. But I do know that some warriors find it embarrassing to have the role of the woman. Which is probably why he tried so hard to hide it."

Zuko tried to process everything, it was just so strange! "Where daddy?" asked Tao walking up to the two older men. Zuko looked down at the little boy and back up at his uncle. Iroh shrugged, he hadn't told Tao anything. Zuko sighed as he bent down so that he was level with Tao. "Your daddy got sick but I bet if he saw you he would feel a lot better!"

Tao smiled as Zuko offered his hand and the two of them walked back to Zuko's room. Zuko opened the door and was surprised to see that Sokka was sitting on the floor trying to pull on his tunic but was having issues because of all his injuries. "Daddy!" Tao yelled as he ran to Sokka.

Sokka looked up surprised but he smiled as soon as Tao was in his arms again. He was so happy to see that he was okay. Tao looked down at Sokka confused, "What this?" he asked touching the bandages that basically covered Sokka's torso. "Daddy sick?"

"I'm getting better," Sokka smiled as he tried to think of a way to explain. "How were you while I was gone?"

"Iroh funny!" Tao laughed.

Zuko stood in the doorway watching Sokka with his son. It was weird wondering about Tao's other father. Sokka had been secretive about everything up until now, but that could be expected. Would he answer any more of Zuko's questions just because Zuko knew the truth?

Zuko tried to get those thoughts out of his head. Why the hell did he even care? It wasn't any of his business, he just wanted the avatar. He sighed as he walked back out of the room. He had to get away from the water tribe peasant, Sokka was confusing him too much!

Sokka was surprised that after Zuko left he came back with food. "I thought you guys might be hungry," he mumbled as he set the tray down in front of them.

"Food!" Tao yelled when he saw the tray.

"Wow, he really is your son," laughed Zuko. Sokka smiled as he too started to eat.

Sokka was starting to doze off, Tao was already asleep in his lap. "Sokka?" Sokka looked up at Zuko surprised. "Who is Tao's other father?" Zuko asked glaring at him.

"Why do you care?" asked Sokka suddenly completely awake.

"The only people I have seen you traveling with were the Avatar and your sister..."

"Neither of them is his parent!" interrupted Sokka, disgusted at what Zuko was implying.

"I figured, that's why I'm asking," smiled Zuko at Sokka's reaction. Sokka looked at Tao and frowned. It was true that he loved his son but Tao's other father was a completely different story. "What happened?" asked Zuko noticing Sokka's reaction to a question that shouldn't be that difficult.

"It's not important, I'll never see him again," Sokka mumbled happily. Zuko was curious as to why never seeing him again was a good thing but he figured that Sokka would just be vague again.

It was weird but Zuko really wanted to know everything he could about Sokka. The other teenager intrigued him. He really liked him but it wasn't like he could do anything about it.


	9. Chapter 9

Sokka slowly opened his eyes wishing that that would help make the pain go away. His back was on fire and he thought that Azula was back to make him talk again. "Sokka?" he heard a strange voice call.

"Wha?" he asked still confused. Everything was swimming and despite the fire that was raging on his back the rest of him was shivering. He tried to regain control of his body but nothing seemed to be listening to him.

Zuko dabbed the cloth against Sokka's forehead as he tried to figure out how to make the infection go away. Kaya had already seen Sokka and done all that she could, which turned out to be very little.

"Sokka, you need to wake up," Zuko said again as he tried to wash out the infected wound. Sokka had been thrashing in his sleep making almost everything impossible for Zuko.

"Katara?" asked Sokka as he barely opened his eyes. Zuko sighed in relief, finally he was awake!

"Sokka, you need to take your medicine," Zuko said in as calming of a voice as he could manage. Sokka was so out of it he didn't realize who he was talking to, so he nodded and gladly accepted the strange liquid that was poured down his throat.

Zuko laid Sokka's head in his lap as he slowly tried to sooth the younger teen. He could see Sokka's obvious shaking and even four blankets had done nothing to make it subside. Zuko hoped that he would be able to help, as he carefully started to heat up his own body temperature.

Sokka seemed to slowly calm down and finally stop shaking. Zuko smiled as Sokka seemed to go off into a deep sleep and no longer be bothered by the trembling.

Zhao was surprised by the crest of the bird, it had come from the royal household. He opened the letter and was happy to see that it had the crest of the Firelord stamped on the front.

He quickly read over the letter and only became happier at what he saw. He was usually given missions that were against other nations but this time he was going to settle a personnel score.

Zuko tried to meditate as he listened to Sokka's labored breathing. He had done everything he could, but it looked like Sokka was just getting worse. What would he do if Sokka died? Tao would be all alone.

No! he couldn't think like that! Sokka would get better. He tried to reign in the fire that had exploded at the thought of Sokka dying. This had gone on for far too long, Sokka couldn't be a friend. He was a prisoner.

"Zuko?" Zuko looked up surprised to see Sokka trying to sit up on the bed.

"You're awake!" Zuko jumped up to go and help him.

"Wh-what happened?" asked Sokka confused as he tried to figure out why he felt so horrible. Zuko slowly helped him up but as soon as he was on his feet the room started to spin and Sokka fell to the ground throwing up what little food that was left in his stomach.

"Are you alright?" asked Zuko trying to help him make it back to the bed.

"No," Sokka moaned as he tried to catch his breath. He started to feel like he was going to get sick again but felt better when he finally laid down again. "What's wrong with me?" he asked trying to think of what would cause this much pain.

"One of the wounds that my sister inflicted on you seems to have become infected," Zuko explained as he grabbed a cloth and walked into the washroom. He could see Sokka's surprise when he walked back out. "I think that you got past the worst part though," Zuko said laying the cloth across his forehead.

"Thanks," Sokka said confused. Zuko wasn't supposed to be nice and try to help him. This was the enemy! But nothing he had done in the last two weeks were actions of an enemy. Sokka tried to stop thinking as his head started to pound with a headache.

"When you feel well enough you should probably take a bath," Zuko said looking back at the mess that Sokka had just made on his floor.

Sokka was surprised at how calm Zuko seemed. Usually, he figured, Zuko should have just let him die because of the infection. Maybe Zuko was more human then he had thought.

Sokka slowly tried to stand up again, again being assisted by Zuko. This time he made it all the way to the tub, that was full of steaming water. It had been a long time since he was able to actually take a bath and he gratefully sunk into the water.

"What are you doing?" asked Zuko confused. Sokka looked at him questioningly and then figured out the reason for the strange look. He had gotten into the tub of water fully dressed.

"I didn't feel like taking them off," Sokka lied as he lowered himself into the tub. Truthfully he didn't know if he had the strength to even take off his shirt. Zuko had practically carried him the five feet to the washroom.

Zuko shook his head as he leaned down and started to pull off Sokka's tunic. "What are you doing?" asked Sokka tensing up.

"I'm helping you take off the tunic you threw up on," Zuko said with practiced patience. Sokka tried to calm down as Zuko took off his top layer. He was too weak to fight anyways. Sokka sighed at how low he had become.

"I'll go get these cleaned while you wash up," Zuko said shutting the door behind him. Sokka relaxed into the water, his muscles seemed to calm down a little but his back still felt like it was on fire. There was no way to be truly comfortable but Sokka just tried to ignore it.

After what seemed to be like an hour he finally decided that it was time to get out of the water. His legs felt heavy but that's what he got for leaving his pants on. He had to use up a lot of strength just to stand up.

He slowly tried to get his leg over the side but slipped and slammed his chin into the ground. He cried out in pain as he felt the blood from his lip slowly start to run down his tongue. He tried to get up but his arms just gave out and he was stuck on the floor, bleeding.

He slammed his fist against the ground in anger, it barely made a thud but it felt like he had crushed it with a giant air bison. He cried out in pain, this was just too much. He couldn't take anymore!

"Are you throwing a tantrum?" asked Zuko walking into the room. Sokka looked up surprised, he hadn't heard the Prince walk in.

"No, I just fell," lied Sokka. Zuko looked mildly amused as he slowly helped Sokka up and walked him back to the bed. As soon as Sokka was seated Zuko started to help him dry off by running the towel through his hair. Usually Sokka would never allow this kind of thing, especially not after Jet, but he liked it when Zuko did it. It almost felt...comforting.

Sokka was so confused by the weird thought. He had been having a lot of those lately. Maybe they were right. Sokka shook his head, figuring he could think about it later.

Zuko smiled as he saw Sokka slowly relax. It was nice to see that side of him when he was awake and not just asleep.

**I haven't written in forever so hopefully two chapters in one will make up for that! **


	10. Chapter 10

Sokka was slowly getting better but he was still weak from the infection. He was sitting on the bed, in the room that he and Zuko shared. He was watching Zuko intently as the older teen tried to meditate.

"Why do you do that?" asked Sokka watching the flames with mild curiosity.

"I do it so that I can control fire, no matter what. It is also helps when I get angry." Sokka nodded and decided to leave Zuko alone for a little while. He slowly made his way up on deck, he had started to really like the fresh air that only came in the very early hours of the morning.

Sokka was surprised to see that Iroh was already up and sitting by his pai show board. "Good morning," he said as soon as he saw Sokka walking towards him.

"Hello," Sokka said sitting down across from him. He looked at the board wondering what kind of game could keep the old general entertained hours on end. "How do you play?" asked Sokka looking over the board and not seeing anything that signaled the rules.

Iroh laughed at the teen's confused look. "It has been a long time since anyone has asked me to teach them this game..." Iroh's attention suddenly was drawn away by a strange noise.

"What's wrong?" asked Sokka trying to look for what had caused Iroh such great concern.

"Another Firenation ship that shouldn't be anywhere near us," growled Iroh standing up. "Sokka go below decks and stay there until I tell you otherwise." Sokka was confused about the strange order but decided that listening would be better then meeting the other firebenders.

Zuko was surprised to hear Sokka return only a few minutes after he had left. "Did my uncle bore you?" asked Zuko opening his eyes and extinguishing the flames he had been working with.

"No, he said something about another ship and I figured below decks was safer then above." Zuko raised his eyebrows, there shouldn't be a ship anywhere near them. Who could be on the ship that his uncle had seen?

Zuko threw open the door intending to go get some information but was surprised to see a guard already standing there. "Prince Zuko, Zhao's ship is coming along ours," he reported before saluting and running back to Iroh who was already figuring out what to do.

"Zhao?" squeaked Sokka. He knew for a fact that Zhao was ten times worse then Zuko any given day.

"Don't worry, I'll figure out what he wants, then send him on his way," Zuko growled.

Sokka nodded hoping that Zuko could do what he said. He knew for a fact that Zhao never gave up and he had started to see how much the two firebenders hated each other. "Wait! Where's Tao?" asked Sokka running towards the door.

Zuko beat him and blocked him from the entrance. "I will find him, but you are to stay here!"

"You want me to just sit still while that maniac is on the ship and I have no clue as to where my son is?" yelled Sokka ready to punch Zuko in the mouth.

"Yes! Zhao probably knows your here because of Azula but he has no clue about Tao, so he won't be looking for him!" Sokka glared at Zuko but slowly backed away from the door. Zuko made a good point but he wanted his son! "Don't worry, I will find him and bring him here before Zhao even has a chance to come aboard.

Sokka watched as Zuko left the room and snarled when he heard the lock slip into place. That stupid bastard didn't trust him? Sokka couldn't believe the agonizing minutes that passed while he waited for Zuko to return with his son.

Finally he heard the lock slide open and Zuko walked in holding a still sleeping Tao. "Do not leave this room until I come back," commanded Zuko as he started to walk out.

"How can I when you lock the door?" growled Sokka. Zuko only smiled as he closed the door and locked it again. Sokka sighed as he sat down on the bed and waited to see what would happen.

Zuko ran up on deck just in time to see the bridge descend, linking his ship to Zhao's. He watched as Zhao crossed with that pompous smile that Zuko would love to burn off, followed by four of his personnel guard. "Hello Prince Zuko," he greeted as soon as he stepped onto the deck.

Zuko only nodded in response. It took all the control that he had learned from meditating for him not to scorch the stupid bastard. "It is good to see you Zhao. What do we owe this surprise visit?" asked Iroh breaking the tense silence.

"I am here to take the crew and the prisoner, with me," Zhao smiled as he only looked at Zuko.

"What the hell makes you think you can do anything of the sort!" yelled Zuko walking up to Zhao.

"This imperial letter, signed by your very own father makes me think I can." Zuko's jaw dropped as he looked over the letter with the imperial seal. Why would this happen? There was no way that he could turn Sokka over to this maniac, he was still weak from the infection and he would freak if he was separated from Tao.

Iroh could tell that Zhao wasn't lying by the look on his face. This was really bad, but he had to do something. "Is there a reason why my brother decided to send out such an interesting letter?" asked Iroh taking the letter and reading it over himself.

"I am taking the crew for a certain venture, but I am taking the prisoner because Princess Azula believes that the prince has grown to close to him," Zhao smiled mockingly down at the teen.

"Too close? What the hell did my sister say?" yelled Zuko grabbing the front of Zhao's uniform.

"It doesn't really matter, the Fire lord's decision is final. Now, you can say goodbye to your crew and tell me where the prisoner is," Zhao said calmly as he shoved Zuko away from him.

"Like hell I will," hissed Zuko. Zhao smiled a cold smile, as if he had been expecting this.

"Fine, guards restrain Prince Zuko and round up the crew, I will find the prisoner myself." Zuko tried to stop Zhao but he was grabbed by two stronger guards who threw him to the ground. "Iroh, you are welcome to join me if you wish, but you are not under the same commands as the rest of the crew," Zhao said turning to the old general.

Iroh glared at him as he tried to think of a way to help his nephew and Sokka who would in serious trouble if he got stuck with Zhao. "I will stay with Prince Zuko," Iroh said calmly.

Zhao shrugged and started to walk below decks where his men had already started rounding up the crew. He would have fun with this prisoner that the Prince seemed to care so much about.

Sokka sat in the room and tried to play with Tao as he heard strange noises above him. It sounded a lot like a fight, but there was nothing he could do about it down here. He was surprised when he heard someone try the door that lead to his room. Only Zuko would dare come in here and he had the keys. "Open up!" Sokka recognized that voice, it belonged to Zhao.

Sokka silently moved to the closet that was at the back of the room and placed Tao inside. His heart nearly broke when he saw the terrified look on his son's face. "Daddy?" he pleaded.

"I promise I will be back, just don't come out until I tell you to," Sokka commanded as he quietly shut the door. He looked around for a possible way of escape but he couldn't find any. Stupid high security Firenation warship!

Suddenly the door flew past him with a wave of fire. He looked and saw Zhao standing in doorway with a triumphant grin. "I wonder what Zuko was doing keeping his prisoner in his private quarters," laughed Zhao as he slowly stalked towards Sokka.

Sokka tried to run towards the door, dodging the older man but he failed. He felt one hand grab his hair and the other his arm. He fell to the ground as Zhao twisted his arm and put a knee into his back. "Don't think that I treat prisoners as 'special' as Zuko does," purred Zhao as he ran two fingers along Sokka's cheek.

"Get away from me you old pervert!" yelled Sokka trying to get his arms out of Zhao's grasp. Zhao just tightened his grip as he lifted Sokka back up to his feet. Sokka tried to stay steady but his head started swimming, stupid infection! Suddenly his knees gave out and he fell. Zhao loosened his grip on Sokka's arms so he hit the ground, but not on his hair so his head jerked up as he kneeled on the ground in agony.

"You really should learn you place, peasant," Zhao hissed as he kicked Sokka in the stomach. Sokka gasped in pain as the air was knocked out of him. "Now are you ready to listen?" growled Zhao as he picked Sokka up by his hair and grabbed his arms to lead him out of the room.

Zuko tried to fight off the guards that had attacked him but they were both too strong and soon enough had subdued him. All he could do was watch as his crew slowly walked over to Zhao's ship. He prayed urgently to Agni that Zhao would not be able to find Sokka but sure enough Zhao walked up holding Sokka.

Zuko could only watch as Zhao practically carried Sokka over the bridge to the other ship. Something was wrong, Sokka wasn't fighting. What had that bastard done to him? It took all of Zuko's restraint not to kill the bastard, the guards that were holding him also helped.

"I don't think I will be seeing you again, Prince Zuko," Zhao called when he was finally on his ship. He motioned to the two guards and they finally released Zuko to walk back to their own ship. Zuko ran to the bridge but it had already been lifted and Zhao was gone.


	11. Chapter 11

Zuko stormed down the stairs that lead to his room. How could he have let this happen? He tried to control his anger but he only ended up scorching the roof as his fists caught on fire.

All his anger was lost when he heard a strange sound. It sounded almost like...whimpering. Zuko walked over to the closet and threw the door open. He was surprised to see Tao curled into a ball with tears streaking down his face. When he heard the door open he tried to hide even more but Zuko could still see him.

"Tao, it's okay," he said reaching out his hand. Tao looked at him but shook his head.

"Daddy said to stay," Tao said. Zuko closed his eyes, this kid was too much like his father.

"I promise, it is okay to come out," he said taking Tao's hand. Tao slowly stood up and followed Zuko. Zuko picked him up and carried up on deck to ask his uncle what they should do now.

Iroh was happy to see that the other firebenders hadn't found the young child. Zhao was insane and would have definitely killed him. "What are we supposed to do now?" asked Zuko as he sat down across from his uncle with Tao in his lap.

"I think we should try and make port. There is no way we will get very far in this ship with just the two of us able to steer it." Zuko nodded, he knew that his uncle was right but at the same time he wanted to go after Zhao and try to save Sokka.

He let his uncle talk him into going to the nearest port, a trading town where they might be able to find some more crew. Unfortunately the town was not fire nation and the people did not at all welcome them with open arms.

It was the third day they had been there and still no one would come near the fire nation ship. Zuko was sitting in his room trying to think of way that they could find Zhao. "Prince Zuko, I am going for a walk, would you like to come?" asked Iroh standing in his doorway.

"No, I'm fine," Zuko said not moving, "but take Tao, it's not healthy for him to be cooped up this long." Iroh smiled, this was the first time that his nephew was starting to think of other people before himself. It made Iroh happy to see that maybe he had had a good influence on the young teenager.

Iroh found Tao sitting at the pai sho table that was on deck. The poor boy looked so depressed without his father. Then again what could he expect. "Hey, Tao, do you want to come with me on a walk?" asked Iroh offering his hand. Tao nodded silently and took the hand.

Iroh noticed that the more they walked around the village the more Tao seemed to cheer up. Maybe he had been in a town like this with his father before. Iroh laughed as the little boy ran looking at all the different stores and stands.

Iroh was almost ready to go back when he heard Tao call out, "Aunty!"

"What, Tao?" Iroh had to run after the kid and caught up to him in a strange back alley. Why would Tao have run off like that. Suddenly Iroh was covered in a layer of ice and stuck to the side of a building.

"Give me back my nephew!" the waterbender commanded. Iroh suddenly realized what Tao had seen to make him act like that.

"I would if I could move," Iroh said as he tried to get out of the ice. Katara glared at him as she slowly released half of the ice so that Iroh could set Tao down. As soon as he was on the floor Tao ran to Katara and Aang.

Katara picked up Tao and hugged him tightly. As soon as she was sure that her nephew was alright she turned back Iroh with a furious glare. "Where is my brother?" she asked with a snarl.

"I wish I knew, a few days ago Zhao came and took everybody except the three of us," Iroh said motioning to himself and Tao.

"You better not be lying to me!" Katara growled threatening Iroh with a wave of ice.

"Why would I lie to you?" try to reason Iroh.

"Why would he not take Tao too, then?" Katara growled.

"My nephew was worried that the admiral might kill the child so kept him a secret."

Katara looked at him unbelievingly. "When the hell did the bastard prince grow a heart?"

Iroh sighed as he tried to think of a way to explain this. "My nephew is not heartless but sometimes his ambitions get in the way of his common sense." Katara snorted with disbelief as she turned away and started to walk away. Aang looked back at the old general for only a second before he followed Katara and they were both soon out of sight.

Iroh sighed, he would miss the small boy.

Zuko was trying to think of a new plan when he heard something strange. It sounded like a door creaking. "Uncle!" he called looking out of his room. His uncle would have announced his presence if he was back.

He slowly made his way down the halls ready to fight if someone was really in here. He couldn't see anybody, that was weird. He decided to walk up to the map room just to make sure that no one was on deck.

He rolled his eyes at how ridiculous he had been when he heard a weird cawing sound. His eyes opened wide when he saw the weird reptilian bird that the pirate had carried around. Suddenly there was a loud sound and he saw the wall of fire flying towards him.

He was able to surround himself in fire just as the flame threw him out of the top of his ship. He could feel consciousness slipping from him as he hit the water. It felt like he had fallen into ice. He tried to swim to the top but his arms wouldn't listen to him.

He could barely keep his eyes open when he felt a strange tug on the back of his neck. He was surprised when he could finally take in air again. But that was the last thing he could remember before everything went black.

Iroh looked at the ship that his nephew had been left on. It was now a burning inferno. iroh tried to look around wondering what had happened and where his nephew was. The debris were flying everywhere, but Iroh could still find no Zuko.

Sokka hated being chained to the wall like an animal. At least this time it was only on his wrists and he could move around a little bit. Not like there was anywhere he could go. This ship was almost ten times more secure then Zuko's ever had been.

He sat down against the wall and tried to think of a way out of this. He doubted that Zhao would be as patient as Zuko had been.

Sokka looked up surprised when he heard the door open. Nobody had been in his cell since he was thrown in here two days ago. He was even more surprised when he saw a half dead Zuko thrown into the cell with him. He could hear the guards laughing about something but right now he really didn't care. Zuko needed help.

It was obvious that he had at least a broken arm but there were a lot of cuts and bruises all along his face and arms. Sokka ripped a piece off of his tunic and dipped it into a small cup of water that had been left in there.

He slowly lifted Zuko's head and set it down in his lap. He carefully ran the wet cloth across the cuts to try and get the dried blood off of his face. He figured he owed the prince after what Zuko had done for him and his son.

Zuko was surprised by the feeling of someone trying to soothe his cuts. He slowly opened one eye and was surprised to see blue eyes looking back at him. "Sokka?" he asked confused.

"Zuko your awake!" cheered Sokka happily. Zuko cringed from the loud noise, his head was killing him! "Sorry," whispered Sokka when saw Zuko's pain. Zuko couldn't help his smile when he realized that he was back with Sokka.


	12. Chapter 12

Sokka had almost cleaned out all of the wounds that he could see but there was still nothing that he could do to help the broken arm. Zuko was still swimming in and out of consciousness, probably from pain or blood loss. Sokka wished he could do more but the cell did not offer much help.

Sokka was trying to clean an injury that had reopened when he heard the bolt slide open. Someone was coming in. Sokka tried to set Zuko down as gently as he could before he retreated to a corner. There was no way he could let anybody find out about them actually being friends.

Zhao looked at him suspiciously when he heard the chains sliding across the floor. "What have you two been up to?" asked Zhao looking at them. Sokka remained silent as he just glared at Zhao. He really hated the guy but there was nothing that he could do.

Zhao just laughed at his lack of response before he turned back to Zuko. Sokka could only watch as two guards came in and took Zuko out of the room. Sokka wished that he could stop them.

Zuko started to wake up as he was carried through the halls. Something was going on and he had no clue what. He was surprised when they threw him into a room that looked a lot like his chambers back on his own ship. This had to be Zhao's room. What the hell was he doing in here?

He got even more crept out when he watched as the two guards left. What was Zhao planning? Zuko tried to sit up but it was too painful. Something else might be broken, he thought.

"Aw, how the pathetic have fallen," laughed Zhao as he closed the door behind him. Zuko glared at him, there was nothing that he could say that wouldn't just sound stupid. "You know I wouldn't have thought that those pirates would be so useful," laughed Zhao.

"You blew up my ship?" gasped Zuko. He could have slapped himself as soon as the the words were out of his mouth. Of course Zhao was responsible, the pirates weren't smart enough to have thought of it by themselves.

"So what the hell are you going to do now?" growled Zuko.

"I'm going to capture the avatar, then I am going to return to the firenation with three prizes instead of one."

"Do you really think that the Fire Lord would have approved of what you did?"

"Who do you think gave me the order?" Zuko's jaw dropped. Zhao had to be lying! His father didn't hate him enough to try to kill him, did he?

"This will be painful," laughed Zhao grabbing Zuko's broken arm. Zuko yelled out in pain as Zhao twisted the arm back in place. It had been worse then actually breaking his arm.

Zuko gasped in pain as Zhao started to wrap the arm in some bandages. "How pathetic, be a man!" sneered Zhao as he pulled the arm into a sling. Zuko tried to hide the pained expression but he was failing miserably.

Zhao smiled as he pulled out a dagger that he was holding in his belt. Zuko's eyes widened as Zhao brought the dagger closer to him. "I would love to kill you right now but the Fire Lord wants an alive prisoner."

Zhao grabbed Zuko's ponytail and ripped the dagger through it. "You are no longer one us."

Sokka was surprised to see Zuko thrown back into the cell. He grunted in pain as soon as he hit the ground.

As soon as the door was shut he crawled over to see how Zuko was. He was surprised to see that Zuko's injuries were bandaged but his hair had been shorn off. "Zuko? What's wrong?" asked Sokka trying to look into his eyes.

"My own father wanted me dead," he whispered closing his eyes. Sokka looked at him wondering what he was talking about. Zhao must have done something. "I am useless to my own family."

"Come on Zuko, don't say things like that!" Sokka said pulling Zuko into his arms. Zuko's head just rested against Sokka's chest, he was so numb. "It'll be fine," whispered Sokka as he stroked Zuko's hair.

It was weird, Sokka had no clue when they had gone from friends to more. They spent that night wrapped in each other's arms. Sokka needed the warmth from Zuko and Zuko needed the comfort from Sokka.

Sokka was the first to wake up the next morning. He was surprised at how much he liked Zuko being close to him. He moved his arm and slowly touched the scar that covered his left eye. He was surprised at how smooth the skin was, he had always assumed that it would be rough.

"What are you doing?" asked Zuko opening his eyes. Sokka was so surprised that Zuko opened his eyes he flew back and fell against the wall. "Sokka?" asked Zuko sitting up, "you are really energetic," he mumbled rubbing his eyes.

"S-sorry, you s-surprised me," Sokka mumbled slowly standing up. Zuko smiled at Sokka's face and pulled him down next to him. "What are you doing?"

"Go ahead and ask," Zuko whispered into his hear. Sokka looked at him confused, then realization dawned across his face.

"How did you get that scar?" asked Sokka quietly.

"I decided to speak out during one of my father's war meetings because of my outburst I had to fight an agni kai. I thought it would be against the general that I had spoken against but it turned out to be my father. I begged for mercy but to teach me a lesson he decided to give me a reminder that would never go away."

"Why would you return to a man that burnt you?" cried out Sokka in exasperation. Zuko raised his one good eyebrow,how was he supposed to respond to that.

"I wanted my honor back," sighed Zuko.

"And he's the only one that could give it to you?" Zuko frowned as he nodded slowly. Sokka face palmed himself, Zuko had to joking. "I really don't understand firebenders," he mumbled.

"Same here," laughed Zuko as he wrapped his arms around Sokka.


	13. Chapter 13

"I would be honored to be your general," Iroh sighed as he took another sip of his tea. He had seen Zuko being pulled away on a boat full of Zhao's men. Zuko was here somewhere and Iroh was going to find him.

"I am glad to hear that, General Iroh." Iroh glared at the admiral as he stood up. He did not have time to waste on idle chatter.

He slowly made his way towards the lower parts of the ship. If Zhao was hiding his nephew or Sokka it would definitely be in the cells at the bottom of the ship. It was sad how few guards there were, that just made Iroh's job easier.

He tried to quietly sneak past the guard, that was sleeping, and grabbed the keys that had been left on a random hook. Iroh was disappointed in Zhao's lack of security, then again the walls gave enough of that.

He slowly slipped into the block of cells and tried to look to see if they were being used. Finally he saw one that was locked up tight, even the window was bolted shut. "Finally!" Iroh cheered as he placed the key into the lock.

Sokka and Zuko looked up as they heard the door being unlocked. Both teenagers flew to opposite sides of the cell and tried to look as innocent as possible. "Prince Zuko! Sokka!" Both boys were stunned to see Iroh running into the room.

"Uncle?" asked Zuko trying to understand what was going on, "What are you doing here?"

"Zhao wanted me to be his general and no nephew of mine is going to be anybody's prisoner!" Zuko and Sokka could only smile at the good fortune that Iroh was.

"So do you have a plan?" asked Zuko hopefully.

"Of course, Zhao is a planning to invade the North Pole. When we are about a day away you two will escape and give as much warning to the people as you can."

"Won't he notice we're missing?" asked Zuko.

"Yes, because he's been down here so many times," Sokka replied sarcastically.

"Besides if he does you will be long gone and I can handle myself," Iroh interjected. Zuko nodded, finding nothing else wrong with the plan. "But you should make sure that they see Sokka first, they may be very wary of a firebender."

Iroh was happy that he could make the arrangements in two nights. The fleet was getting to the North Pole much faster then Iroh would have thought. He slowly made his way down the dark halls towards the cell. He would only have one chance to do this so he had to be careful.

He was surprised to see that there was no guard watching the keys. They must be helping prepare for the invasion. Iroh thanked Agni for his good luck and ran towards his nephew's cell.

Sokka and Zuko looked up as Iroh entered. "Hurry," Iroh whispered as he unlocked the metal shackles from Sokka. The three of them hurried down the hall towards the boat that Iroh had prepared.

"Go as quickly as you can, I am not sure how long the fleet will take to arrive. You have to get there before us!"

The two teenagers got into the boat and set off for the North Pole.

Katara relaxed a little after she had beaten the fifth boy to challenge her. Master Paku complimented Katara on her fast learning of the skills. She tried to smile but it was hard, she was still worried about her brother.

She was surprised to see Anat running towards them. Usually nobody disturbed the waterbender practices, especially non-benders. "What is going on?" asked master Paku, annoyed that his practice had been stopped.

"I am sorry but the patrol picked up two teenagers, one said that he was Katara's older brother," Anat said out of breath.

"What? Where is he?" yelled Katara grabbing Anat by the shoulders.

"At the gates, they want to make sure he is telling the truth because he is with a firebender." Katara hadn't heard the last part, she was already running praying that it really was Sokka.

She made it to the front gates in record time. "Sokka!" she screamed as soon as she saw her brother. Sokka looked up just in time to be tackled by his little sister. "Are you okay? How did you escape? I'm glad to see you!" Katara screamed.

"It's good to see you too!" said Sokka hugging his sister back.

Katara finally looked up and all her happiness was gone when she saw Zuko standing behind him. "What is he doing here?" growled Katara.

"He helped me, trust me," said Sokka holding his sister's arms so that she wouldn't kill Zuko when he wasn't looking. "Where's Tao?" asked Sokka looking around.

Before Katara could answer Zuko interrupted, "I know you're all excited for this reunion but I think we have more pressing matters."

"Oh right!" Sokka said face palming himself. Katara looked at the two of them curiously, this was weird. "Katara I have to tell you something! Zhao is on his way right now and he has an entire fleet with him!"

Katara looked at him completely dumbstruck but the soldiers that had heard were running to tell their leader. Sokka was about to follow when he felt something hit his leg. He looked down surprised to see Tao holding onto him for dear life.

"Tao!" Sokka picked up his son and hugged him as tightly as he could. It felt like forever since he had held his son and he never wanted to let him go.

"Sokka, come on," said Zuko gently touching his shoulder. Sokka looked up and followed Zuko as they followed the rest of the soldiers into the meeting building. The soldiers watched Zuko carefully as they all gathered in the hall.

To Zuko it seemed like hours before everyone was there. He tried to remain patient but they couldn't possibly understand the urgency. Finally all the people and elders had been gathered.

"We must prepare for attack!" the chief said after he had heard all the news.

"How can we take the word of a firebender and some boy with him?" yelled one of the soldiers pointing at Sokka and Zuko accusingly.

"That boy is also a traveling companion of the avatar!" yelled another. The arguement continued with different people standing up and yelling. Suddenly they all stopped talking as black snow began to fall.

"Believe us now?" asked Zuko bitterly.


	14. Chapter 14

Sokka started to pull on his battle armor with the other soldiers preparing for battle. Zuko grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a wall. "You're not seriously going out to fight, are you?"

Sokka couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was no way that he could just sit and wait for the outcome. "Zuko, you know I have..."

"Have to? What about Tao? If anything happens to you he will be all alone!" Sokka frowned, Zuko was right but he couldn't just stay behind! "I'll go, just stay here and try to protect Aang."

"Fine, but you better promise to come ba..." Sokka was interrupted by Zuko's lips crashing onto his own. Sokka melted into the kiss and tried to make it more intense but Zuko pulled away.

"You'll have to wait until I come back," Zuko whispered into his lips. Sokka smiled as he watched Zuko walk away to go over the plan with the other soldiers.

Sokka watched as Aang tried to concentrate into the spirit world. Things were not going well. He jumped when he heard someone coming up behind him. Zhao was standing there glaring at him. "I don't know how you escaped my ship but it will not happen again!" yelled Zhao throwing flame at Sokka.

Sokka jumped in surprise as he tried to dodge so that he wouldn't be burned. He threw his boomerang as hard as he could hoping that it would be enough to distract Zhao. Zhao just laughed as he hit the weapon away, "Is that all you can do?"

Sokka tried to think of something to do when a flame separated them. He looked back in surprise to see Zuko standing there glaring at Zhao. "Get out of here!" hissed Zuko. Sokka didn't have to be told twice, he ran to get help.

Zuko faced Zhao, he hadn't killed him before but he would soon fix that mistake. Zhao just sneered at him as he got into a fighting stance as well. "I wonder how the Firelord will see this betrayal!" sneered Zhao as he took a shot at Zuko.

Zuko easily dodged it and laughed, "Probably as a way to explain away the death of his son!" Zuko was so sick of any thought of his father or any member of the firenation.

"He no longer sees you as his son!" Suddenly Zuko went flying, he had been caught off guard. Zhao laughed as he slowly walked to the small pond that Aang was sitting in front of. "This victory is just too easy!" he laughed as he picked up one of the fish with a sack.

Zuko was completely confused until he saw the moon covered in a red that looked so much like blood. Zuko's blood ran cold as he realized what that must mean. "Zhao what do you think you are doing?" yelled Iroh.

Zuko looked back surprised to see that Sokka had returned with Iroh. Zhao just smiled as he took aim at the sack that was still moving. "I am finishing this!"

"Whatever you do to that spirit I will do twice as bad to you!" Zhao glared at the general, angry that nobody could see what the death of the moon would mean for the firenation. They were all traitors and would be treated as such.

He laughed as he threw the sack into the air and shot it down with fire. "Nooo!" yelled Iroh.

Sokka felt like someone had punched the wind out of him. The world seemed to stop as the earth fell pitch black. It was eerily dark with no moon at all. "They will no longer be able to stand against us!" laughed Zhao as the screams of the waterbenders seemed to grow louder by the second.

Aang's glowing slowly brightened and a dark voice rasped out, "You will pay for that, Zhao." Sokka recognized the voice all too well, Aang was about to attack in the Avatar state.

The water that had been peacefully resting in the pond only moments before started to wrap around Aang as he grew into a giant sea creature. All the firenation warriors started to attack Aang but nothing touched him as he wiped them all out.

Zhao could only watch in morbid fascination until Aang turned back on him. Zhao tried to run but was only caught in the hand of water and dragged back to the ocean where the fleet was slowly getting destroyed.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Iroh as he held the moon spirit in his hands. Zuko helped Sokka stand up as the two of them walked towards Iroh.

"We have to do something," said Katara walking up to them.

"Is there anything that we can do?" asked Zuko. Katara looked at him as if he had just slapped her, she could not believe that he would be so defeatist about something so important.

"There has to be!" she whispered determinedly. Katara slowly approached the unmoving spirit, if her healing powers were really something special then she had to be able to do something!

As soon as her fingers touched the spirit's scales she could tell that something was happening. The wound was slowly closing under Katara's touch. The night that seemed to be pitch black slowly started to have light come back to it as the moon came back to life.

As soon as the moon was back in the night sky the spirit that seemed to posses Aang slowly calmed down. Aang slowly came to stand on top of the wall and look out at all the destruction that he had caused.

Katara stood next to master Paku as they looked around the nearly destroyed North Pole. "I have decided to go to the South Pole, some other benders have agreed to come with me. We can't believe that we have let our relationship die over these past years."

"What about Aang? He still needs to learn waterbending," Katara said looking at her younger friend.

"Well I guess he better get used to calling you master," laughed Paku.

Sokka leaned against a wall, he felt miserable and like an idiot. After the battle Zuko had disappeared without a trace and Sokka was actually surprised. Of course he would be gone, as soon as he was out of trouble he couldn't be trusted.

"What's wrong?" asked Aang walking up to him. "You look almost as if we lost the battle," he joked punching Sokka in the arm.

"I'm fine," he lied waving it off. "Just tired after the battle and all." Aang looked at him with an unbelieving look but didn't say anymore. Even Aang knew that if Sokka didn't want to talk he was not going to talk to anyone.


	15. Chapter 15

Zuko knew that he shouldn't have just left Sokka like that, he should have at least said goodbye. That would have been to painful though and Zuko had to leave the group alone. He rested his head against the tough wood that made up the makeshift raft that he and had used to escape. He had no idea where he was going but he had to leave the North Pole, that was certain.

Sokka looked out over the ice patches that they were quickly flying over. Zuko couldn't have gone far, he didn't have a ship or anything. Sokka felt like slapping himself, why did he care what the prince did. Obviously Zuko had just used him when it was convenient and thrown him away when something better came along.

Sokka sat back in the saddle that covered Appa's back and stared angrily at the sky above him. It wasn't like Zuko was some great guy or anything. He was moody, angry most of the time, and was a banished prince who was stupid enough to try and return to the man that burnt him but at the same time Sokka couldn't just ignore the friendship, or relationship, that had formed while they were together.

"Sokka?" Aang called waving his hand in front of Sokka's face.

"Uh...what?" he asked finally coming out of his own train of thought. "Oh sorry Aang," he apologized.

"Is everything okay?" asked Katara noticing the strange exchange between the two boys.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about the moon spirit and all that," he lied waving off her concern. Katara gave him a questioning look but didn't say anything. Sokka ignored it and looked back at the ice that they were quickly flying over.

Katara and Aang looked at each other, they couldn't figure out what had been plaguing Sokka since the battle at the North Pole.

Zuko looked at the strange jungle that he had landed in. At least with Zhao's dungeon he knew what to expect. He sighed as he started walking forward, he had no clue where he was even supposed to go now.

The firenation was not an option, they would try to kill him there, the earth nation probably wasn't a great choice either but it was the best that he had right now. He had no idea which direction the earth nation was in so he just started walking forward. He would eventually end up somewhere.

Sokka was annoyed that they had to work with this general. They said that they could help Aang in the Avatar State but so far everything they had tried had failed. Then again he didn't expect anything to come from throwing mud in Aang's face.

"I don't think this is a good idea," sighed Katara leaning against the wall next to him.

"Hey if it helps Aang then maybe we should see what they can do," Sokka shrugged.

"Seriously what is the matter with you? You have been acting weird since we left the North Pole," she growled staring her brother down.

"I don't know what you're talking about, you and Aang keep saying that I haven't been normal but I don't see what you're getting at!" he growled annoyed before storming off. Katara watched her brother stomp into his room, he had had such a short fuse and he seemed to really not care about anything.

Sokka slammed the door to his room and threw himself onto the bed. He didn't know why he was getting so upset lately, he was just pissed off at the world all the time and he couldn't control it.

He looked up and was surprised to see Tao staring back at him with a scared look on his face. "Daddy?" he asked tears starting to stream down his face.

Sokka's immediately felt horrible for making Tao cry. He ran to his son and picked him up. "Hey, it's okay, don't cry," he cooed trying to show Tao that he wasn't mad anymore. Tao soon calmed down and rested his head against Sokka's chest. Sokka smiled and sat down on the bed that the general had given him.

It had been so long since Sokka had been able to actually relax in a real bed and soon he was fast asleep with Tao in his arms.

His eyes shot open when he heard the door slam. Aang stomped into the room and threw himself down on the bed. "What's wrong?" asked Sokka worried. He hadn't seen Aang like this in a long time and he had no idea what had brought it on.

"This isn't working! Everything they tried has failed!" he growled punching the bed. "Maybe I shouldn't be tempting the Avatar state, I mean I can't even control it," he sighed finally losing some of his steam.

"Well if you don't want to then just tell the General that, I don't think he would mind to much," Sokka shrugged not thinking much of it.

"Do you think so? You think he might actually be okay with it?" asked Aang worried. Sokka smiled, even though Aang was probably one of the most powerful benders he was still terrified about what people thought about him.

"You are the avatar! What are they gonna do?" laughed Sokka reassuring the twelve year old.

"Katara is angry at me, she thinks that trying this at all was a stupid idea," he sighed.

"She gets into her moods, she will be fine by tomorrow," Sokka laughed.

"She said she didn't even want to see me after today," Aang whispered miserably.

"I doubt she meant that, I mean seeing you in the avatar state is scary so maybe she didn't want to see them bring it out of you. After you tell her that you decided to stop trying I bet she'll be ecstatic with you," Sokka promised.

Aang nodded as he finally laid down and closed his eyes. Sokka smiled, he was glad that he was finally able to help one of his friends instead of just snapping at him. He sighed in contentment as he laid down and fell back asleep.

Sokka was surprised when he felt someone shaking his shoulder. "Wha..." he asked shaking off the hand.

"Will you come with me to tell the general?" asked Aang nervously.

"Yeah, sure," he yawned as he stood up and grabbed his tunic. The two of them walked out of the room toward the office of the Earth Kingdom general. Sokka was surprised at how nervous the young monk was. "Aang calm down, there's nothing they can do if you tell them no," Sokka reassured him.

Aang nodded and walked in as bravely as he could into the general's office. The general was sitting at his desk and talking to some other officers that were standing around him.

"Oh, it is good to see you Avatar," laughed the general standing up. Aang glared at him, he did not understand why these people always called him Avatar, it was not his name. "I have been looking over some old documents and think I might have finally found a way to bring on the Avatar state!"

"We won't need it," Aang admitted quietly.

The general raised his eyebrows and looked at Aang angrily. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't think we should be trying to pull out the avatar state and I have decided to stop trying," he admitted starting to finally speak louder.

"I see, I wish you hadn't come to that conclusion," the general sighed. Both Sokka and Aang looked at him confused, the glint in the general's eyes worried Sokka. "That will not do," he sighed. Suddenly Aang was thrown from the room after being hit by a huge piece of the wall.

"What the hell are you doing?" Screamed Sokka running to the opening that had been made. He was thrown back by the General and could only watch as soldiers followed Aang down into the courtyard with murderous intent.

"What are you trying to do? He's the avatar!" Sokka yelled grabbing the front of the General's tunic. The General easily shoved him away before following his soldiers into the court yard.

Sokka punched the wall in frustration before running to the stairs. He had to try and help Aang any way he could!


	16. Chapter 16

Sokka finally reached the bottom of the stairs just in time to see a soldier throw another boulder at Aang who was trying to dodge three different attacks at the same time. This was insane! If they didn't stop they could kill Aang!

It took what seemed like forever to sprint down those steps but he finally made it into the courtyard where the battle was taking place. He pulled out his club and ran at the first soldier he saw.

He was surprised at how easy it was to knock out the soldier. He didn't get a chance to appreciate that as he jumped onto the ostrich horse that the soldier had been on. Suddenly two soldiers came at him.

Sokka didn't have time to deal with them, Aang had nearly just been flattened! Sokka was knocked off the ostrich horse by one of the soldier's spears. He tried to ignore his pain as he ran towards the general. "Stop this!" he yelled grabbing the front of his tunic.

"Get away from me," he growled throwing Sokka away. Sokka growled as he ran towards the general ready to knock him out with his club. The general saw him just in time and threw him away with a boulder.

Sokka cried out as he slammed into a wall. He could hear some of his bones crack as he slammed into the ground. He could barely sit up his arms were screaming in protest. "Sokka!" Aang yelled running to try and help him.

Suddenly a wall shot up from the ground blocking the way between the two. "Please stop!" Aang begged turning back to the general.

"In the Avatar state you could stop me!" he laughed. Aang looked around desperately. It wasn't like he could just call the avatar state by demand. Suddenly he heard a scream that sounded like Katara. He turned to see her fighting for her life as four soldiers ganged up on her.

"Stop this!" Aang screamed his eyes and tattoos lighting up.

"Yes! Finally!" the general yelled in euphoria. "Now Avatar..." he stopped speaking when he saw Aang taking out his own soldiers. "What are you doing avatar?" he yelled in confusion.

"Aang told you! He can't control the avatar state!" Katara yelled angrily as she ran to him. The general looked at him in total confusion, Katara couldn't stand that man. She finally reached Aang.

"Aang, please stop this," she begged reaching for his hand. Finally Aang slowly calmed down as his glowing eyes and tattoos slowly returned to normal. "I'm glad you're okay," Katara cooed as she hugged Aang to her.

"That was amazing! Now if we can learn how to harness that power..."

"You're kidding, right?" growled Katara glaring up at him.

"But that power..."

"You nearly killed him! There would have been no power if you had done that!" she screamed losing her patience. "Thanks but all four of us will be leaving," she hissed slowly helping Aang stand up.

Katara looked around but couldn't find Sokka. "Where's Sokka?" she asked starting to get worried.

"He was over there before I went into the Avatar state." Aang pointed to a corner that had been covered with rock. Katara gasped as she ran over there and saw Sokka laying in pile of rubble.

"Sokka!" Katara screamed running to him. She slowly helped him up and could already see that he was badly injured. "Look at what you did!" she yelled angrily trying to help her brother stand up. She was pissed at the general, how dare he take things this far?

"I'm fine," gasped Sokka as he tried to fake a smile. Katara frowned at him as she helped him stand up. Once they were flying out of there on Appa she would try to heal him.

"Let's get out of here," growled Aang leading the way out of the court yard. Katara followed closely behind basically carrying Sokka.

When they were finally back on Appa Katara tried to heal Sokka but some bones were broken and she didn't know how to heal those. She sighed angrily as she finally just dressed the wounds the best she could.

"So how bad is it?" asked Sokka with a fake smile.

"Pretty bad," admitted Katara as she finished tying up the bandages, "but I'm sure with some rest you'll be fine."

"Oh yes between fighting the firenation, trying to teach Aang earthbending and taking care of Tao there should be plenty of time for me to rest," he laughed. Sokka grimaced as soon as the sound was out of his mouth, he didn't know that he could be in this much pain.

It was almost as bad as when Azula had tried to make him talk. "Daddy?" asked Tao grabbing Sokka's arm.

"Hey, I'm fine," Sokka lied trying to reassure his son. "You know I can survive anything!" Tao laughed as he buried his face into Sokka's chest. Sokka smiled as he hugged his son closer to him.

"So where are we headed now?" asked Katara turning to Aang.

"Well Omashu isn't an option so do you have any other places in mind?" Aang asked turning to the other two.

"There is always Ba Sing Se but that is still like three weeks away, do we have that much time?" Katara asked out loud.

"We don't have many other choices," Sokka sighed, "so we can head in that direction and hope that we some how pick up an earth bending master and a fire bending master," he laughed.

"Yeah, like something good could actually happen to us," Aang sighed leaning against the saddle with a frown.

"Oh come on Aang, things could be way better, you just can't be pessimistic about it," she smiled grabbing his arm. Aang's cheeks turned bright red as he smiled back at her. Sokka smiled, how his sister was so oblivious about Aang's crush was beyond him. True it had taken him a little while but they had started traveling two years ago, she should know him better then that.

"Yeah Katara...you're right," he mumbled while smiling like an idiot.


	17. Chapter 17

Appa finally landed after two days of straight flying through a valley. Sokka was happy to finally be on solid ground. Katara helped him half stumble half fall off of the giant beast.

Sokka fell against the ground and gasped in pain. "I'm sorry," Katara apologized reaching down to help him.

"I'm fine," Sokka laughed waving off Katara. "I think I will sit here for a little and then help you and Aang set up camp."

"NO! You will stay right there and not move a muscle!" Katara commanded angrily. Sokka rolled his eyes before he begrudgingly agreed. "Good, now Aang and I have to go practice our bending and when we come back I don't want to see you doing anything!"

"Yes, sir," Sokka replied sarcastically. His ribs and an arm were broken, there weren't too many things that he could do when all alone. Katara shot him a glare before walking towards Aang.

"Kataya!" Tao yelled running after her. "Come?" he asked asking to go watch her and Aang's bending. Katara looked at Sokka, he nodded. Both their bending had gotten good enough that they could actually control it.

"Sure, come on sweetie," she laughed picking him up. Sokka could hear their footsteps slowly walking away and after about ten minutes he could hear them no more. He sighed as he slowly tried to sit up. He wouldn't be helpless any longer, it was the most infuriating thing!

He had almost sat completely up when he felt like someone was there. He quickly looked around and froze when he saw a man running at him with a dragon mask covering their face. Sokka was about to scream when the person's hand covered his mouth. "Don't yell," whispered Zuko.

As soon as Sokka knew who it was his fear turned into heated fury. "What the hell are you doing here!" hissed Sokka angrily.

"I-I had to say...sorry," Zuko mumbled unsure of himself. Sokka noticed that his lips curved into a cute frown when he was upset like this but he couldn't think about that right now.

"Sorry for what? Being my friend? Letting me go? Or are you just sorry?" he growled wanting to punch the stupid prince.

"Sokka let me explain," Zuko begged resting his hand on Sokka's stomach. Sokka hissed in pain and threw Zuko's hand off of him. "What happened?" Zuko asked desperately wondering how he could hurt Sokka with such a simple gesture.

Zuko didn't know what came over him but he grabbed the belt to Sokka's tunic and and pulled out the knot in one motion. "What the hell are you doing?" growled Sokka realizing to late what Zuko was doing.

"Who did that to you?" asked Zuko dangerously when he saw the bandages covering the top half of Sokka's body.

"No one, why the hell do you even care? Leave me alone!" Zuko looked more hurt then Sokka had ever seen him.

"I didn't mean to leave you like that, I just couldn't stay," he tried to explain.

"Really? What was keeping you, the father that burnt you?" Sokka growled not even caring what Zuko had to say.

Zuko bit his lip for a second not knowing what to say. It wasn't like Sokka was willing to listen to anything that he was saying.

Sokka could tell that he had made his point and there was nothing left for Zuko to say. He rolled his eyes as he turned away. Suddenly Zuko grabbed his chin and kissed him on the lips as hard as he could.

For a second Sokka started to melt into the kiss. He had missed this, he had missed Zuko. "Stop," he growled finally pushing Zuko away.

"What's wrong?" asked Zuko with a cute pout on his face.

"The last time that you did that I didn't see you again!" growled Sokka annoyed. Zuko leaned back for a second before nodding. That had been a stupid mistake and he was regretting it more and more everyday.

"I'm sorry," was all Zuko could say to the accusing stare that Sokka was giving him. Sokka snorted in disgust, Zuko was pathetic.

"Get away from me!" yelled Sokka tired of this conversation.

"Sokka!" Zuko begged grabbing his arms. Sokka gasped in pain as his arm screamed in protest. "I-I'm so sorry," Zuko gasped releasing his grip. Sokka just glared at him as Zuko slowly walked out of the campsite.

Katara was surprised when she returned to see Sokka angrily staring off into the forest in the opposite direction then they had left. "Is something wrong?" she asked when Sokka had ignored their return.

"No, I'm fine," he lied finally turning to her. "I was just...thinking." Katara looked at him wondering what he had been thinking about but she knew better then to ask.

Zuko slowly made his way through the forest. He had to get away from that camp before his sister or the avatar returned. A crazy thought ran through his mind as he walked away. Sokka was injured, defenseless, it would have been so easy to just take him. Zuko looked back for only a second before he kept walking.

Zuko face-palmed himself. That sounded like something his sister would have done, not him. He would win Sokka back, not take him against his will. Sokka would just hate him more then he already did now.

How was he supposed to win the water tribe warrior over though? Everything that he had tried, other then being captured with him, had failed. Could he try that? No, that was just stupid.

Zuko fell against a tree, now his ideas were just becoming stupid. He had never been good at planning, his uncle had always come up with the ideas. he sighed, there was nothing that he could think of right now, hell he didn't even know where he was supposed to be going.

Sokka could tell that Aang and Katara were finally asleep. He slowly stood up as quietly as he could. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about Zuko since he had seen him earlier that day.

He sighed, he was being an idiot but he had to find Zuko. Sokka knew that Zuko liked to stop and sulk so he wouldn't have gone to far. Sokka rolled his eyes, when the hell had he started knowing what Zuko was like.

He slowly made his way through the dark forest, his whole body screaming in protest but he just ignored it. He had to see the stupid jerk off just one more time. Finally he came across a campsite with a fire burning in the center.

"Prince jerk are you here?" growled Sokka looking around. There was no answer for a minute but then there was the sound of leaves crunching.

"How did you get out here in your condition?" asked Zuko when he finally came into Sokka's view.

Sokka rolled his eyes, "Like you really care," he growled. Zuko could not believe it.

"Did you just come out here to yell at me some more?" Zuko asked quietly.

Sokka shook his head that was not what he had come here to do. "I missed you!" Sokka blurted out surprising both boys. Sokka silently cussed at himself for just letting something like that slip. "I missed you but I don't think I can trust you!" he tried to explain without screaming, "I thought that you would miss me too but you just threw me away when it suited you."

"That is not what I did, I thought that it would just be easier without me," Zuko tried to explain. "I made a decision in a split second that I have regretted ever since! If I didn't miss you why would I have followed you into the woods and searched for you?"

"I don't know! Are you still trying to get back your honor?" Sokka asked putting a cruel amount of sarcasm on the word honor. Zuko cringed back before slowly shaking his head.

"No, I am done with that," he promised weakly. Sokka could hear the sincerity in Zuko's voice. That was all it took and Sokka grabbed Zuko and pulled him into a close hug.

"Good," he whispered resting his head on Zuko's shoulder, "that's all I wanted to hear." Zuko smiled as he hugged Sokka back and laid his head on top of the other teen's.


	18. Chapter 18

Sokka slowly opened his eyes and saw Katara and Aang already loading up their supplies on Appa. "Hey look who is finally awake," laughed Aang walking past him.

"Well maybe he would have been up earlier if he didn't go for walks in the middle of the night," answered Katara annoyed. Sokka bit his lip, he hadn't realized that she was awake when he had left. "So Sokka where did you go?" she asked finally turning to him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, I was just really tired," he lied. "Maybe you were dreaming or something." Katara glared at him but he just shrugged it off and slowly walked towards Appa.

Sokka knew that his sister didn't believe him and he didn't care. He cooed as he picked up Tao and put him on his hip. "Come on, let's get on Appa," he laughed tickling his son. Tao laughed as he tried to push his father's hand away.

_After Sokka held Zuko for what seemed like hours he finally slowly pulled back. "Is something wrong?" asked Zuko worried. _

_Sokka smiled slyly as he pressed his lips against Zuko's. Zuko was so surprised that he didn't have a chance to respond before Sokka pulled away. "If I stay for to long the others will miss me," Sokka whispered against Zuko's ear. _

_Zuko shivered from the closeness but at the same time never wanted to let him go. "Come with me," Sokka begged. _

"_I can't," Zuko sighed finally letting go of Sokka. Sokka bit his lip as he slowly walked back towards their camp. "But don't think that doesn't mean I won't see you again!" Zuko promised before kissing Sokka on the lips for one final time. _

Sokka had no idea why that promise made him so happy, the stupid jerk had abandoned him but it had. He couldn't stop smiling as he played with Tao who was sitting on his lap.

"Somebody is really happy today," Aang commented.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Sokka shrugged. He didn't really care if his sister or the avatar noticed the sudden change in his mood. It wasn't like they would believe him if he told them the truth.

Finally after two days of flying they saw an earth kingdom city. "Maybe we can find a teacher for you there!" Katara cried happily.

"I hope so because I need to find one soon," Aang sighed. He had started to lose patience with finding a teacher, Katara was the only excited one. Sokka laughed as Katara tried to cheer Aang up, the two of them were strange.

Finally they landed and could get off of the giant air bison. They decided to keep Appa a few miles out of town just to keep him safe and walk towards the town. "So where should we look for a teacher?" asked Sokka when they had finally entered the city.

"What's this?" asked Katara looking at a flyer on one of the many street corners. "An earthbending rumble?" she asked confused.

That was all Sokka needed to hear. "We should go there to look for your teacher!" he yelled turning to Aang. Aang raised an eyebrow and seemed hesitant. "Come on, where are you going to find a better teacher?"

"I guess we can go," Aang shrugged.

Sokka was cheering like a maniac as the boulder threw each of his opponents off the stage and marched around like an idiot. Aang also seemed to be interested in it. Katara sighed as she leaned back in her seat and played with Tao's hair, she would never understand men.

Finally it was the round with the last earthbender, someone named the blind bandit. Katara finally looked at the stage and was surprised to see a small girl with milky eyes. "Is she seriously blind?" asked Katara stunned.

"Yeah, I think so," Aang nodded, he was just as surprised as Katara was.

"The Boulder feels guilty about fighting a little blind girl!" the boulder yelled out in his strange third person way of speaking.

"The Boulder? More like the pebble!" she laughed. The veins in the Boulder's head seemed to start pulsing. The Boulder yelled as he threw a boulder at her. She just smiled as she dodged it by barely moving and sending rocks right back at him.

All three of them stared at her with their mouths gaping. They couldn't believe what they had just seen. "H-how did she do that?" asked Aang barely able to breathe.

Suddenly the boulder fell as the ground beneath him shifted. With one last flick of her wrist the blind bandit had thrown The Boulder out of the ring and was the winner. The crowd went wild cheering for the Blind Bandit as she fist pumped the air.

"That was AMAZING!" Sokka yelled joining in with the cheering crowd.

"I have to meet her, King Bumi said I needed a teacher that listened, that had to be what she did," Aang gasped transfixed on the young girl who was still in the middle of the ring.

The girl started to walk towards the stairs that lead out of the ring. Aang jumped out of his seat and ran to the stairs that lead down into the arena. This might be the only chance that he would ever get to meet her.

"Hey wait!" he called running after her.

"What do you want?" she asked turning on him.

"I want to talk to you!" The girl rolled her eyes as she laughed. Aang was surprised by her response and even more surprised at the boulder that slammed in his face. She was gone and didn't even know what her real name was.

He looked down in defeat and was surprised to see a ring that looked like a seal. He picked it up and was surprised to see the outline of a flying boar. Maybe this belonged to the blind bandit!

Aang slowly walked back up to the stands where his friends were sitting. "Did you get to talk to her?" asked Katara worried.

"No, she just blew me off but I found this," he said showing the rest of them the ring that he had found.

"What's that?" asked Sokka looking it over with disinterest.

"I think that it might belong to her, if we can figure out what family it belongs to then we can find her!"

"We will get to meet the girl that beat the Boulder!" cheered Sokka as he grabbed the ring from Aang's hands. Katara rolled her eyes as she followed the boys, she just hoped that it worked so that Aang actually had a real earthbending teacher.

"Where are we going to start looking?" asked Katara looking over the ring.

"Hey, maybe those guys will know where it's from," Aang said pointing at two boys that looked like high class students. "Hey! Hey, can you help us?" Aang yelled running over to them.

"What do you want?" asked one of the boys glaring at Aang.

"I was wondering if you know who this ring belongs to?" Aang asked showing him the ring with the flying boar. The two boys laughed and shoved past Aang as they kept walking. "Well, that didn't go well," Aang sighed.

"Let me try to talk to them," Katara smiled as she ran after them. Sokka and Aang looked at each other wondering how Katara could convince them to talk.

"Hey guys," Katara called running after them.

"What do you want?" asked one of the boys glaring at her.

"I want you to tell me who this ring belongs to," she smiled sweetly. One boy snorted and started to turn around. Katara was tired of this, she wanted an answer. She called the water out of her water-skin and throwing it at them. Both cried out in surprise as their feet were swept off the ground and they were frozen to the walls with their heads smashed together.

"Now would you guys like to talk or am I just going to have to leave you here?" asked Katara sweetly.

"The symbol of the flying boar belongs to the Beifong family," answered one.

"Do they have a daughter?" she asked.

"No, not that I know of," answered the other. Katara raised an eyebrow in curiosity but shrugged it off.

"Thank you for your help," she smiled happily before skipping back towards the boys. She would tell them what she had found out.

**Lately I have not really been feeling the love from my fans so before I upload my next chapter I want at least 5 reviews**


	19. Chapter 19

Sokka and Aang jumped over the wall and into a giant court yard. "Dang, this place is huge," whispered Sokka as they quietly tried to move around the yard.

"What are you doing here?" growled a familiar voice. Both guys turned in surprise to see the blind bandit glaring at them.

"Hi, I'm Aang and I was wondering..."

"I didn't want to talk to you at the rumble what the hell makes you think that I want to talk to you now?" she hissed.

"Please, I'm the avatar and I need an earthbending teacher," Aang begged.

The girl just rolled her eyes, "You make it sound as if I should care." Aang looked at her totally shocked, he had not expected that response. "Get out of here before I call the guards!"

"Please just listen..."

"Guards! Guards!" she started yelling. Sokka and Aang both had to dive for the bushes before three burly guards came running into view.

"What is it lady Toph? What happened?" asked the guard that got their first.

"I heard something a-and I got scared," she whined. Both Sokka and Aang looked at each other, this girl could act like a helpless rich brat and then like one of the most powerful warriors.

They watched as she slowly followed the guards out of the court yard and into the main house.

"That didn't go well," sighed Aang as they slowly walked back to the camp where Katara and Tao were waiting for them.

"Maybe we should try a different approach," shrugged Sokka.

"Like what? Talking to her parents?" asked Aang dejectedly.

"That could work." Aang just glared at him, Sokka was the idea guy but right now he was failing at his job. They finally arrived back at the camp where Katara was waiting impatiently for them.

"How did it go?" asked Katara as soon as she saw them.

"Horribly," sighed Aang flopping down against Appa.

"She basically kicked us out," explained Sokka. Katara bit her lip as she looked back down at the ground. She really had thought that this would have worked and Aang would finally have a teacher.

"So what are we going to do now?" she asked looking at the two of them.

"Keep moving and see if we can find someone else?" suggested Aang miserably.

"No! We can not just give up like that!" Katara yelled at them. Both guys looked at her surprised, "She is the teacher that you are supposed to have and she will be your teacher!"

"And how are we going to convince her of that?" asked Sokka annoyed.

"Hey, we can be convincing," she smiled darkly.

Toph sat in the courtyard listening to the ants that slowly made their way across the yard. She could not understand why that stupid kid had to keep bugging her! She knew that her parents would never let her go anywhere, no matter how much she wanted to.

They just saw her as a weak little blind girl that could never do anything by herself. She smiled to herself as she thought about her father's reaction if he ever saw her in the ring during a rumble.

She played with the rocks around her as she was thinking but suddenly froze when she felt familiar footsteps. What were those idiots doing here? Couldn't they just leave her alone?

She quickly stood up and ran towards the main house. There was no way that she could let them talk to her parents! They could ruin everything! She opened the door just as her mother was walking towards her.

"There you are my dear, we have some very special guests with us for dinner. Go get dressed and meet us in the dining room," she smiled leading her daughter to her room. Toph rolled her eyes, she didn't need to be lead like a little child to her own room.

Toph sighed as she fixed her hair real quickly before entering the dining room. She could feel that the avatar was right in front of her, that other guy was next to him and someone new was on the other side. She sighed as she sat down, this was going to be a long night.

Finally after what seemed like forever the dinner was over and she could escape. She ran out of the room as soon as she could escape into the courtyard. "You can see, can't you?" asked Aang from behind her.

"I see with my bending, not my eyes," she admitted.

"You're a great bender, why do you pretend to be a helpless little girl?" asked Aang confused.

"Because that's what my parents expect, they wouldn't be able to accept me any other way," she sighed annoyed. Aang nodded understandingly.

"I bet that sucks having to hide how powerful you really are," he sighed sitting down next to her.

"Yeah, it does," she sighed.

"Then stop! Come with us and show off whenever you want! Leave this stupid place behind!" he begged. Toph liked what he was saying, that life seemed like so much fun. But she couldn't, her parents would never allow it. If she left without their permission they would never speak to her again.

Toph was shoved out of her thoughts when she heard the footsteps of what seemed like big men. She recognized them from the rumble. What were they doing here? She stood up and took a fighting stance just as the owner of the rumble jumped over the wall. "What do you want?" she growled ready to kill him.

Before he answered she felt something surround her, it was like it had swallowed her. She kicked the wall screaming that they let her go. She couldn't feel the ground, by the smoothness of it she could tell that she was in a metal cage.

"Let me out!" she screamed slamming into the wall. "Let me out!"

Katara could hear something coming from the garden, it sounded like a fight. Was Toph trying to kill Aang or something? She ran out where she heard the noises coming from and stopped. There were two imprints that looked like a cage had been slammed into the ground and in front of that was a note.

"What happened?" screamed lady Bei Fong when saw the same scene as Katara. "Where is my daughter? Why did they take her?" she cried falling to her knees. Her cries only seemed to get louder when she read the letter.

"Come up here and I will take you all on!" screamed Toph shaking the bars to the cage she was strung up in.

"Oh shut up, we'll let you go when the money gets here," growled the owner of the rumble. He was a muscular bender that was the most powerful out of the fighters but he never got into the ring himself anymore.

Toph leaned against the wall to her cage. As soon as they opened these doors and she had solid ground under her feet she would kill them all. She had done it once now with all of them it might actually be a challenge.

She froze when she heard the voice of her father. Why the hell did they have to bring him into this? Now her secret was out! Her family would kill her or worse, disown her. Finally the latch to the bottom of the cage was released and she fell to the ground.

She could kill them all and her father would find out or she could just walk away with her father. She sighed as she slowly walked to where her father's vibrations were coming from. She could deal with them later.

She took her fathers hand and slowly walked out of the arena with him asking if she was alright and what had they done to her. She sighed as she played the part given to her from birth, this is what she would be stuck with.

"Toph help us!" begged Katara, "We need your help!"

"My daughter can not help you! She is a blind helpless little girl!" her father growled.

That was it, she could no more. "No, I'm not," she growled ripping her hand away. She could tell that her father was shocked by her actions. He would be even more shocked when she kicked these benders asses.

She walked back into the arena. This was her time to shine and these idiots would never take that away from her. Two stepped up in front of her as they threw the boulders at her. She couldn't help the smile as she dodged it with barely moving.

She could feel one swinging from above and moved the stage so that he took out two of his comrades. Toph turned threw the boulder away just like she had in their fight and turned to the last one. She had never seen the owner of the rumble fight but he couldn't be better then her.

"You can just give up now if you want," Toph laughed crossing her arms over her chest. She smiled as she felt the vibrations, Aang was free and the four of them were a safe distance away. She could make this fight fun.

Toph could tell that the man was angry. She could feel as he lifted the rocks out of the ground it slowly was shot at her. She smiled as she dodged the first attack and then the second one that followed. He was pathetic. She smiled as she threw her final attack and he was unconscious on the outside of his own arena.

She laughed as she walked out of the rumble, her excitement at beating all of them at once making her momentarily forget that her father had been watching the entire things. As soon as she heard the frantic vibrations as he ran to her, her smile faded. There was no way she could just explain this away with a lie.

"Why did you never tell me?" her father asked her desperately as he pulled her into his arms.

"I didn't think you would understand," she admitted quietly. She could take on an army of enemies easily but having to tell the truth to her father was excruciatingly hard. "I thought that you make me stop."

"But how? You're blind! You have to stop this!" he yelled getting angry. Toph sighed, this is exactly what she had expected but not what she wanted. "We are going home right now! What will your mother?"

"No!" Her father looked down at Toph with a look of complete shock. This was not his daughter, who was a helpless, obedient, little girl. "I am going with the Avatar," she continued, her voice getting stronger. "I am going to help him learn earthbending and I am going to do my part to end this horrible war!"

"That is not your responsibility! Stop this insanity!" he growled his anger worse then Toph had ever seen.

"I am making it my responsibility, I am tired of just sitting back and watching." She walked away trying to ignore her father yelling at her from behind. "Come on," she said as she walked past the avatar and his group.

As soon as they were out of the arena Sokka took the lead. "Thank you," Aang said so quietly that she barely heard it.

"Don't mention it Twinkle Toes," she laughed before punching Aang in the arm. Aang smiled, she was going to be an interesting friend.


	20. Chapter 20

Toph had been traveling with the group for about a week now. The group had some tension that Aang and Sokka had no idea how to fix. Katara was sick and tired of Toph's attitude and Toph hated Katara's queen b attitude. Their fighting was almost constant.

"Toph help us set up camp!" Katara yelled storming over to the smaller girl.

"I set up my camp so lay off sugar queen!" Toph shouted back. Sokka leaned against a tree and was feeding Tao as the girls continued to argue.

"Shouldn't we stop them?" asked Aang watching worriedly.

"They're both benders, we could stop them before they killed each other," he shrugged. He knew plenty about girls from their travels and knew that trying to calm them down when they were like this was almost impossible.

Aang nodded and sat down next to him. He really liked Toph, not as much as Katara of course, but he was starting to get annoyed with all this fighting. Maybe he had made the wrong decision in choosing her as an earthbending teacher.

Aang heard Sokka sigh in annoyance as Toph slammed a door in Katara's face and Katara was screaming insults as she slammed on the door. "This is getting ridiculous," Aang sighed in annoyance.

"It could be worse," Sokka shrugged, "You could have gotten a guy and she could have had a crush on him." Aang glared at Sokka but he just smiled at him.

Sokka was happy when his sister finally fell asleep and the yelling had stopped. He was sitting next to the fire with Tao in his lap. He slowly stroked his son's hair as he watched the flames.

He looked up when he heard some footsteps behind him. He turned and was surprised to see Toph sitting down next to him. "Hey, what's up?" he asked awkwardly. His sister had done plenty of arguing with the new girl but he had barely talked to her since she had joined.

Toph just shrugged as she seemed to stare into the fire. It was so strange how she always seemed to be seeing but was in reality completely blind. Sokka sat there uncomfortably in the silence, he hated situations like this. "So where did the kid come from?" asked Toph.

"He's my son," Sokka said plainly.

"Well I figured that, so who's the mother?" Sokka's face went red, he hated when people asked that question. "Come on, I'm waiting for an answer," she laughed poking him in the shoulder.

"Technically, I am his mother," he said quietly. He looked at Toph and was surprised by the understanding look on her face. "Usually people start yelling at me about lying or ask stupid questions now," he laughed nervously.

"Stupid questions bug me and I can tell your not lying so there's no point in yelling," she shrugged with a smile. "For having a dad like you, he is really cute," she laughed pulling Tao into her lap.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Sokka laughed as he watched the blind girl play with his son.

"Hopefully he doesn't get your brains too," she laughed. Sokka laughed as he finally relaxed around the new member of their group. "Where is the other father?" she asked looking back at him. Sokka bit his lip as he looked away. "Oh, I guess I did ask a stupid question," she sighed looking back at his son.

"No, I just really don't talk about it. Katara and Aang don't even really know," he admitted. Toph nodded as she played with Tao not pushing the subject.

They both froze when they heard a noise. "What was that?" asked Sokka looking into the forest.

"Shh!" Toph growled standing up. "Someone's out there!" she growled. Suddenly fire came flying at her from out of the bushes, she barely had the chance to jump out of the way.

Sokka jumped up grabbing at his boomerang. Suddenly a knife came flying out of the bushes from behind him, he cried out as it slashed his arm. "It's been a while," came a cold voice from the bushes.

All of Sokka's being froze when he recognized the girl walking out into the clearing. He hadn't seen Azula since he was trapped on Zuko's ship. "We have to get out of here," he whispered to Toph.

"Who said we would let you escape?" laughed a girl from a tree.

"Get Aang and Katara, I will deal with them," growled Toph as she handed Tao to him. Sokka nodded and slowly backed up to where his sister and the avatar were still sleeping, keeping his eyes on the two girls.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked a cold voice as a knife was laid against his throat. Sokka froze, he knew how dangerous Azula was and he could only guess how dangerous these other two girls had to be.

"Get away from him!" growled Toph throwing the ground from underneath her. She landed hard on the ground next to the tent where Katara and Aang were coming out, woken up by the yelling. "Run!" yelled Toph as she tried to hold off the flames that Azula were throwing at her.

Katara did not have to be told twice, she pulled Aang over to the giant air bison that was trying to get away from all the fire. Sokka followed behind them with Toph being the last one behind them.

"Yip, yip, Appa!" Aang yelled and they were in the air. "Who were they?" asked Aang when they were finally in the air and safe.

"I only know that one was Azula, Zuko's sister, I have no idea who the others are," admitted Sokka.

"Whoever they are, they know how fight," sighed Toph cradling her hand.

"What happened?" asked Sokka reaching over and looking at the injured hand.

"It's nothing, it will be fine later," she laughed it off as she pulled her hand back. Sokka was surprised when she a little bit of red light up her cheeks. That was strange but Sokka decided to just shrug it off, he was probably just imagining things.

"Oh crap, they're following us," growled Katara looking over the side. Sokka followed her gaze and groaned when he saw the trail of smoke that was chasing after them.

"Did you seriously just expect them to give up, Sugarqueen?" asked Toph annoyed. Katara glared at Toph angrily before turning back to Aang. Sokka smiled glad that he was no longer the only one that pissed off Katara in the group.

"Where are we going to go?" asked Aang steering Appa into the clouds. "We have to get away from them."

Finally Aang landed Appa in a small clearing that was surrounded by trees. It was the middle of the night and no one had the energy to set up camp. They all just picked a place on the ground and tried to fall asleep.

Toph had only been able to sleep for a few minutes when her eyes shot open. Something big was coming straight at them...and fast. "Get up!" Toph yelled running back to Appa, "They're still after us!"

Katara was the first to react to the warning and was trying to wake the guys up. Finally they were back in the air just as they saw the three girls come into the clearing. "How the hell did they find us again?" growled Toph angrily.

"I don't know! I thought I had lost them!" Aang growled trying to make Appa fly as fast as he could.

"I might not be able to see but you can! Make sure they're gone!" Toph yelled.

"Don't yell at him like that!" hissed Katara angrily. Toph just glared at the two of them.

"If we get caught it will be your fault," she mumbled.

"What did you say?" screamed Katara.

"Stop this!" Sokka yelled before anybody could say anything else. "Fighting is what we are trying to avoid!" The two girls were still glaring at each other and Aang was just staring at the ground that was rushing under them. Sokka sighed as he leaned back against the saddle, he could have cut the tension with a knife.

They finally were able to land again after hours of flying. As soon as they jumped off Appa Toph felt something weird about the grass. "This grass is really soft," she said thoughtfully looking down.

Sokka shook his head, both Aang and Katara were ignoring her right now. "That's not the grass, Appa's shedding," he sighed walking to a spot where he could lie down.

"Shedding? That's how they keep finding us!"

"What?" growled Aang turning on her. "Are you blaming this on Appa?"

"No! I am just saying that they are following the trail that we are leaving behind!" Toph snarled kicking the fur that was under her feet.

"Well how the hell else are we supposed to get away from them! Appa is our only chance, he never complains!"

"He can't talk!" screamed Toph. Sokka was afraid that someone was going to get hurt if this continued.

"Stop this, obviously it isn't helping anything," he sighed trying to calm them down.

"I hate this! I am out of here!" Toph screamed stomping off.

"Good!" Aang yelled at her retreating back. Sokka bit his lip as he watched her go. This was not supposed to happen. They needed Toph to teach Aang!


	21. Chapter 21

Toph stomped through the forest away from those idiots. She had left her family to help them and what did she get in return? Yelled at and accused! "Toph stop!" yelled Sokka running after her.

She stopped surprised that the water warrior would give a crap about her. Sure he was a nice guy and all but he had his sister and son to worry about, not some new girl that just joined the group. "What do you want?" she growled not turning around to face him.

"You can't just leave like that!"

"Why the hell not?"

"Because we are all just tired and cranky, Aang didn't mean what he said back there."

"Really? Cause it sounded like he did!" she growled finally turning on him. She smiled when she felt him take a step back. "I mean sugar queen already didn't like me and twinkle-toes always sides with her, doesn't he?"

"Toph, stop it," Sokka pleaded taking a step towards her.

"Stop what? Telling the truth?" She smiled when she heard no response come from the other teen. She sneered at him before starting to walk again. She was surprised when she felt his footsteps following, only about a pace between them. "What are you doing?"

"You're right, Katara and Aang can get on fine without us, I mean its not like I'm even a bender. Going with you might be more fun," Sokka shrugged.

Was this guy insane, a jerk, or was he actually being serious? She shrugged, if he was bluffing he would leave her alone soon enough. Finally her legs were too tired to keep going so she chose a tree and sat down and rested her head against the trunk.

She could tell that the guy had sat down next to her and was doing something with a bag in his lap. "Hey, are you hungry?" he asked holding out some fruit. Toph was surprised at the generosity and quietly took the food that he offered.

Sokka laid against a tree too and closed his eyes, today had been a long day and trying to follow Toph at her pace had taken the rest of his energy. He could tell that Tao was already asleep in his arms, it must have been a long day for him too.

Sokka was resting his eyes for only a couple of minutes before he was completely asleep and snoring away. Toph smiled, she had misjudged the oaf. Maybe he was smarter then he seemed at first. then again that wasn't setting the bar too high.

She listened to his soft snoring as he slept, his chest rising slowly. She bit her lip but slowly moved closer to him, she was too curious. She finally was right next to him and slid her hands gently across his face, she wanted to know what he looked like. She felt the soft lips, then moved up to feel his nose and eyes, then her hands found his ponytail and and then the close cropped hair. From what she could feel he was a reasonable looking guy.

She jumped back in surprise when Sokka rolled over in his sleep. She knew that people were really weird about people touching their faces and she had only done it about twice before. She sighed and moved back away just in case he was waking up.

She smiled as she imagined the face that she had felt, she liked what she had seen. She sat back against her tree and turned her face towards the sky. She couldn't see the stars but she could feel the wind and hear the night animals. Somehow all those things seemed to calm her.

She closed her eyes and slowly slipped into a light sleep.

Sokka opened his eyes and was surprised to see that the sun was just rising over the horizon. He had no idea how long he had slept but he knew that Toph and him should try to find Katara and Aang. Maybe after a little time apart the tension would not be so bad.

"Hey Toph," he called looking around for a second.

"What?" she asked slowly opening her eyes obviously angry at being woken up.

"I think we should go back," he said bluntly not wanting to dance around the subject. "I don't think the two of them can handle those three fire-warriors," he sighed rubbing the back of his head.

Toph bit her lip for a second and seemed to be thinking about it before finally nodding, "I guess," she sighed standing up. "Just as long as it means I get to kick some fire-nation ass!"

It took them what seemed forever but they finally found what looked like a trail of fur. "This looks purposefully placed," said Sokka thinking out loud.

"Maybe it was, Twinkle-toes probably got tired of running," she shrugged. Sokka could not believe how she was acting, they were going to look for three insane warriors that wanted nothing more to kill them and Toph looked like her biggest concern was the weather, either she was good at hiding emotions or she was just plain naive.

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Aang stopped as he emptied the rest of the bag of fur. He was going to have to deal with the ones that had been chasing them and he might as well do it right here where no one else would get hurt.

He sighed as he sat down and closed his eyes. He needed strength and all he felt like doing right now was sleeping.

"So you decided to stop running!" laughed Azula walking up to the avatar. "Are you going to come quietly or should I just kill you now?"

"Heh, I don't think so," both turned surprised to see Zuko.

"Oh zuzu, how wonderful it is to see you again, but right now I am little busy," she sneered before turning away from him.

"You'll have to go through me first!" yelled Zuko throwing flames in front of her. Azula growled with anger as she turned to her brother.

"Do you really want to fight me?"

"Yes, I really do!" Aang could not believe the two siblings as they tried to kill each other. He had never had a sibling but he could not believe how messed up their family was.

"Don't think I forgot about you!" yelled Azula running at Aang. Aang just had enough time to react to the fire that came flying at him. He jumped on top of a building throwing a wave of wind at Azula that she seemed to easily dodge.

Suddenly the roof underneath his feet was sliding out from under him and he was hurtling towards the ground. He jumped away and through the top of another roofless building.

He watched as Azula grabbed the wall just in time to avoid the two-story fall and laughed when Zuko didn't. His amusement was short-lived though as he dodged Azula who had lunged at him.

Aang could not hold out for much longer, he could already tell that his moves were slowing down. "Having issues, Avatar?" she drawled victoriously.

"I'm doing great!" he laughed lying through his teeth as he dodged another whip of blue flame. Suddenly Azula fell as the floor seemed to disappear from under her feet.

"Hey, if anyone is going to kill twinkle-toes it will be me!" Aang smiled as he looked over and saw Toph and Sokka standing there ready to fight. "Twinkle-toes, you look like you got yourself into a little bit of trouble," laughed Toph running over to help him up.

Azula glared at them as she realized that she had been backed into a corner. "Get out of my way!" she snarled.

Sokka was surprised to see that Zuko was actually on their side in this fight helping them corner his sister. He watched in horror as Azula released a blue flame right into Zuko's chest.

He cried out as he slammed into the ground the blood pooling underneath him. "See you later," Azula laughed jumping over the wall behind her and running away.

"Zuko?" Sokka ran over to the fallen fire-prince before he realized what he was doing.

"I'm fine," he hissed in pain. Sokka growled and smacked him lightly in the arm. "Ow, not helping!" growled Zuko slapping away Sokka's hand.

"Sorry," he whispered lightly. "Katara, you can heal him right?" askd Sokka looking back at his sister hopefully.

"Why should I?" she growled folding her arms. Sokka could not believe her, one second she was showing off her healing abilities and now she was choosing to just not use them?

"Because he got hurt when he was trying to help us!" growled Sokka trying not to let on how pissed he was. His sister just stared at him surprised before shaking her head again. "Katara do it!" he yelled finally standing up.

"Sokka?" she asked completely caught off guard by the sudden outburst. "F-fine," she stammered walking towards Zuko.


	22. Chapter 22

Zuko sat on the ship looking at the water as it rushed by. It reminded him of his own ship but on this one he wasn't the prince and captain he was a refugee that no one knew or cared about.

He sighed as he tried to choke down the horrible gruel or whatever it was that was in the bowl. "Horrible, isn't it?" asked a cold voice from behind him. Zuko slowly turned around to face whoever was talking to him to tell him off.

He stopped when he saw the face. He felt as if he had seen him somewhere, but he couldn't place it. "Yeah, I guess," he mumbled not knowing what else to say.

"I hear the captain eats like a king while we have to try and keep down this crap," he growled throwing his own bowl into the water. "I think we should do something about it," he laughed turning back to Zuko.

"Do something?" he asked dumbly, "Like what?"

"Steal from the captain's rations of course," he laughed pounding Zuko on the back. "My name's Jet, by the way," he offered his hand.

"Lee," he lied shaking Jet's hand. He could already tell that Jet could not be trusted but while he was on the ship it was better to stay on this guy's good side.

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Sokka slowly walked with the group over the serpent's pass. They had lost Appa, the family that they were helping had had their passports stolen, and now they were traveling one of the most dangerous passes to get to Ba Sing Se.

It was weird, Suki had joined their group and she was still glaring at Tao whenever she saw him. Sokka knew that she had yet to guess the truth and just assumed that the mother had left them or some crap like that.

It was finally night and they were setting up camp for the night. He sat down near the edge of the ledge that they were staying on. Tao was sleeping in his arms and his eyes were starting to close too when he heard someone sit down next to him.

He looked over and was surprised to see Suki sitting there looking at him. "Hey, how are you?" he asked as sweetly as he could manage.

"How do you think?" she growled. Sokka could tell that she was pissed and it was never good to be on her bad side. "I thought you liked me, I thought we actually were...something!"

"I never said you weren't," he argued meekly.

"Really? I thought that the baby could say otherwise," she growled. "So what is her name? Is she at least prettier then me? From the waternation, maybe?"

"No, there was no other girl!" he growled. "I am his mother, I gave birth to him!" he yelled.

"Do you think that I am just some dumb whore?" she yelled slapping him across the face. Sokka could not believe this was the same Suki that he had met all that time ago at Kyoshi island.

"I'm not lying," he hissed. "It is something that only happens in the Water nation, if you don't believe me go ask Katara or Aang!"

Suki glared at him for another second before stomping off towards the group. Sokka sighed as he fell back onto his back. Tao was sleeping on his stomach and Sokka smiled down at his son.

"You are surrounded by some insane girls," laughed Toph sitting down next to him.

"She wasn't always like that!" defended Sokka. Toph just laughed as she punched Sokka in the arm.

"Come on snuffles, we have to get to sleep, tomorrow will be another long day," she laughed standing up. Sokka followed her and found his sleeping bag next to Aang who was already asleep.

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Sokka woke up as the sun blinded his eyes. He sighed in annoyance as he sat up and looked around. Katara and Suki were already working on breakfast and Aang was practicing his waterbending as he watched the girls. Toph and the family were still asleep though.

He rolled his eyes when he noticed Suki look back at him with a deadly glare but huffing and turning back to what she was doing. Obviously she was still pissed and Sokka didn't care. He wouldn't tell her what really happened, hell she didn't even believe him when he had told her he had given birth to his son.

He slowly sat up, this was going to be another long day with his deranged ex-girlfriend.

Katara shook her head as she watched her brother and Suki silently fight. "Hey Suki...if I can ask...why are you and Sokka so angry at each other?" she asked hesitantly.

"You seriously don't know?" she growled. "He went away to help the avatar and when I see him again he has a freakin kid! I mean if he doesn't like me, fine! But then he lies and tell this outrageous story about him being the mother!" she snarled.

"Suki, Sokka wasn't lying, he really was the one to give birth to Tao," Katara sighed. Suki just looked at her as if she were insane, "I'm not lying! It has something to do with being a waterbender, or something..."

"If he was telling the truth then who the hell is the father?" she snarled.

"I honestly don't know, he would never tell anyone," she shrugged. "But you seriously should stop giving him the cold shoulder, he didn't do anything to deserve it. I mean he hadn't seen you for months when he became pregnant, he didn't know if he would ever even see you again.

"That does not mean that I am getting back together with him!" she huffed.

"I never said you should but you could at least be civil, make this trip a little more enjoyable," Katara suggested. Suki shrugged, she could at least be civil to the jack ass.

She bit back the mean retort as she saw Sokka walk up to them with the kid in his arms. "Good morning," he nodded towards her then went to get a bowl of rice for breakfast.

"So how old is your son?" she asked trying to make reasonable conversation. Sokka looked back at her with an eyebrow raised, this was not what he had been expecting.

"About a year and a half," he answered uncertainly.

"Oh, he's cute," she laughed picking up Tao. Sokka could not believe what he was seeing, he looked back at Katara who smiled. "Such a sweet little boy," she laughed tickling him.


	23. Chapter 23

**Sorry about last chapter I was having really bad writer's block and I decided to skip forward so I could keep writing. Hopefully it wasn't too confusing but basically the story skipped forward a few weeks.**

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Zuko watched as Jet and the gang that he was with get off the boat. He smiled in relief as he started to walk away from them, he could finally be rid of them. "Hey, Lee!" Jet called following him.

Zuko sighed in irritation but turned back around to talk to the teen. "Hey, I think that you would be a good addition to our group," he smiled putting his hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"I don't think so," he tried to laugh it off, shoving away Jet's hand.

"Come on, all of us have been hurt by the firenation, you are no different," he pointed at the scar across Zuko's left eye. "You would fit in perfectly, besides you could use some friends in a new place like this!"

"I think I will do fine on my own," he sighed just walking away. He no longer wanted to talk to Jet, he had had to listen to how horrible the firenation and anybody that supported them were for the last two weeks and he was sick of it.

Zuko could feel the other teen's eyes on him as he walked away. He quickened his pace, he couldn't have anybody in Ba Sing Se knowing who he really was, especially this guy. If Jet ever learned he was a firebender, much less the prince of the Firenation, he would have no problem trying to kill him or telling others.

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Sokka walked behind Suki and Katara along the rocky pathway. They did not have that much further to go, according to the map at least but, as they found out, the map wasn't very reliable.

They stopped as they reached a gap in the path separated by water. "This isn't on the map!" Sokka cried looking over the map.

"Good job on picking the map!" Suki cheered sarcastically. Sokka glared at her as he rolled the map back up and put it in his sack.

"At least I am doing something that helps the rest of the group," he mumbled annoyed.

Katara rolled her eyes at the two fighting. "Come on you guys, let's just get across," she sighed. They followed her into the lake as she created a bubble that they could walk in. The crossing was silent as they walked across the bottom of the lake.

Suddenly Katara cried out as a giant serpent of a fish smashed into her bubble causing water to pour in. Toph smashed her fist into the ground lifting them all out of the water. "What was that?" cried the woman they were traveling with after they were finally lifted out of the water.

"I guess we figured out why they call it the serpent's pass," Toph laughed humorlessly.

"So how do we get across?" Sokka asked watching the water looking for whatever had attacked them before.

Katara quickly made a path by freezing the water, "Hurry get to land," she called before bending water to distract the monster. Suki lead the group, the family followed behind her and Sokka followed them.

"Come on Toph," he called when he was half way across and realized Toph wasn't following them.

"Um, okay," she slowly started inching her way across the ice. Toph hated it when she was completely blind, it didn't help that there was a giant creature swimming under her while she was trying to walk over the frozen water.

Suddenly the ice underneath her feet broke as the creature smashed into it. "Help! I can't swim!" she screamed trying to keep her head above water.

"Toph! I'll save you!" Sokka yelled trying to run to save Toph. Somehow Suki beat him to it, diving into the water and grabbing Toph.

"Sokka, you saved me! Thank you!" Toph cried wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing him on the cheek. She smiled like an idiot when she finally pulled away.

"Um, actually its me, Suki," came the completely wrong voice. Toph turned more red then she had when she thought she only kissed Sokka.

"You can go ahead and let me drown now," she sighed wishing she could just die. Toph felt like an idiot as Suki swam back to shore with her in her arms. When they had finally reached land Sokka ran to them.

"Toph are you okay? I am so sorry I couldn't get to you!" he cried hugging her. She could feel her face get hot as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Y-yeah I'm fine," she laughed.

"Come on we have to keep going before that monster attacks us again!" Katara called for them as she started to run away where the monster had attacked them. Sokka grabbed Toph's arm and ran, following Katara. Toph knew that she should be more worried about the creature but right now all she could think about was how close she was to Sokka.

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Sokka stood outside of the earth tent that Toph had created pacing back and forth. He had never been on the other side of this situation before. He sighed as he finally leaned against the tent next to Aang.

"Was it this stressful when it was me inside the tent?" he asked pointing at the covered doorway.

"More actually, I mean I've known women to give birth so its expected, but I knew nothing about what was going on with you."

Sokka sighed as he slid down the wall until he was sitting. He hated not being able to help or do something. When someone was screaming in pain his first reaction was to, well, help them.

Finally the painful cries of the mother were replaced with the much smaller cries of a new baby. Sokka and Aang both sighed in relief as Toph walked out, "Its a baby girl!" she laughed happily reassuring them.

"You can come in now," Katara called.

Sokka was surprised to see the mother holding the new baby girl and Katara leaning over her. "We have decided to name her Hope," the mother smiled looking up at them happily. Both Sokka and Aang couldn't help smiling like idiots at the new life.

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**I know some people have asked if Iroh will come back soon or not and honestly I can't decide so if you want to tell me what you think go ahead and tell me! Thanx!**


	24. Chapter 24

Sokka looked around amazed at the large city that was Ba Sing Se. He had thought that the North Pole was huge, but it was nothing compared to the walled city that they had entered.

Sokka and the gang had entered the city over a week ago and he was still finding new places that amazed him in the upper ring. He had yet been to the two lower rings but their "guide" or what she really was, their chaperone, had always come up with a different reason that they shouldn't go there.

He walked back into the house the Earth king had allowed them to stay in. Toph was sitting on the floor playing with Tao. "Where are the others?" Sokka asked setting his bag down by the door.

"Out in the city, exploring or something," she shrugged.

"You didn't want to go with them?" he asked curiously.

"I've been here before, seen all the places. It was boring the first time and its boring now," she shrugged.

"Why have you seemed so down lately?" asked Sokka sitting down next to her.

"I left home to get away from all the aristocrats and stuff, now I'm back and they are even worse," she groaned. Sokka had no idea how she felt, all these things were still new to him and he was actually kind of enjoying it. "Hey wanna go down to the lower rings and see what they are like? I bet it would piss off our chaperone!" she laughed jumping up.

Sokka didn't know if pissing off the person that was their only connection to the Earth king so far was a good idea but he was curious at the same time. "If we're gonna go we better get out of here before Katara finds out," he laughed running towards the door. Toph smiled and followed behind him.

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Zuko ran away from the villager that he had just robbed. When he was two blocks away he finally took his mask off and rested against a wall. He had been in Ba Sing Se for a week and had no job but still needed to pay his rent.

He sighed in annoyance, every time he robbed somebody his uncle's voice would start reciting some old proverb in his head. He was actually starting to feel guilty about what he was doing to survive.

He shook his head trying to get the voice of his uncle out of his head and walked on to the small room that he had been living out of for the last week. He changed back into the clothes that all the other people in the lower town wore and walked back out. He needed to get some food for his evening meal.

He walked down the street of the poverty stricken third ring. This was pathetic, he used to live in a palace and now he could barely rob enough to get a reasonable meal once a day.

He stopped suddenly when he heard a familiar laugh. It couldn't be...why would he be in the third ring? Zuko ran to where he had heard the laugh and couldn't believe what he saw. Sokka was walking next to a girl with black hair and was holding Tao.

Zuko had seen her before, that time that they had fought against Azula together, but what was she to Sokka? They had seemed close then and they seemed even closer now. Had Sokka totally forgotten about him?

Zuko slapped himself. He was starting to sound like a total woman. Who the hell cared if the water peasant had forgotten him? He could have whoever he wanted and Sokka was not it.

Zuko slammed his head against a wall, not even he believed the lies he was trying to tell himself. He wanted Sokka, he wanted to get that girl away from him, and he wanted to stop feeling all this crap. He sighed, emotions were never any firebenders strong point.

He turned back, he didn't want to talk to Sokka or see Sokka while he was trying to figure out why his heart wouldn't stop beating so fast.

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Toph felt as if somebody was watching them, whoever they were they were freaking out. "Sokka do you know who that is over there?" she asked pointing in his direction. Sokka looked up and gasped. "What? What is it?" Toph cried getting ready for a fight.

"Nobody, just stay here! I'll be back in a sec!" Toph could tell that he was lying and felt as he ran after the stranger.

"Something's going on with your daddy," she said worriedly, "we should follow him and see what is going on."

Sokka followed Zuko around the wall that he had seen him disappear from just a minute before. "Hey! Zuko!" he called when he finally saw the familiar prince.

Zuko spun around when he heard his name called. He couldn't have anyone knowing what his real name was, they might get suspicious. "Why did you run away from me?" asked Sokka when he finally reached him.

"Run from you? I have no idea what you're talking about," he lied trying to sound nonchalant. Sokka smiled as he wrapped his arms around Zuko's waist. "What are you doing?" Zuko asked surprised.

"You mean you didn't miss me?" Sokka asked surprised starting to back away. Zuko grabbed the back of his head and smashed their lips together. "Is that a yes?" Sokka asked after they had pulled apart.

"Yeah, it definitely is," he laughed before kissing him again.

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Toph could not believe what she was hearing. Sokka was kissing Zuko, and it sounded a lot like they had done this before. This made sense as to why he hadn't cared about Suki anymore. Maybe Zuko was even Tao's father...

Toph's head was hurting, this was just too much to take in at one time.

Sokka pulled away from Zuko begrudgingly. "I have to go, Toph might wonder where I am."

"Let her wonder for a little more," he laughed pulling him closer, "why does it matter?"

"Because if she told Katara I would be dead, and I am pretty sure you like me more when I am alive," he purred placing on last kiss on Zuko's lips before pulling out of Zuko's arms.

"Meet me here tomorrow?" Zuko asked uncertainly. Sokka nodded before running back to where he had left her.

"Sorry that took so long! It was somebody we knew a long time ago," he laughed catching up with her.

"You know I can tell when people are lying," she whispered. She could feel Sokka's heart beat speed up, he was freaking out. "I know what you were really talking to him about. I promise, Katara won't find out from me."

Zuko couldn't stop smiling as he walked back to his one room apartment. His smile faltered when he heard someone following. He slowly turned his head to just reassure himself he was being paranoid.

He froze in surprise when a blade flew next to his face. "So your real name isn't Lee?" asked a familiar voice.

He bit his lip as he turned around to face Jet. "I have no idea what you are talking about," he lied.

"And to top it off, you know Sokka. More then know that slut in fact," he laughed walking up so that he was right in Zuko's face.

"What the hell did you call him," growled Zuko grabbing the front of Jet's shirt.

"Oh, touchy ain't ya," he laughed shoving Zuko away. "So tell me, was he any good?"

"What?" Zuko asked, his anger slowly ebbing being replaced by confusion.

"In the sack? Has he gotten any better?" he laughed. Suddenly it made sense, this was Tao's father, this jack ass. Zuko didn't know how Sokka could have ever liked this guy, or maybe something else happened. All he knew was that Jet was not going to get out of this alive.

Zuko lunged at Jet fire jumping from his hands before he even thought about it. Jet jumped back in surprise but readily defended. "You're one of them?" he snarled. Suddenly Jet's hooked sword smashed into Zuko's face sending him flying off his feet.

He jumped up before Jet could land another attack and smashed his fist into Jet's gut sending him flying. He could hear people running towards them and didn't need anybody else finding out about who he really was. He turned and ran. It was cowardly but he had to get away.

He had no idea where he was running but when he could hear no one else's footsteps he finally slowed down and looked around. He could tell that he was at least five blocks away from his apartment. At least that meant that Jet wouldn't know where he lived.

He sighed in relief and finally headed back to what was now his home. He had to talk to Sokka, he had to know what the hell happened with Jet.

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Toph felt bad for saying anything as they walked back home in silence. She could tell that Sokka was still freaking out, even after she had promised not to say anything.

They finally got back to the house and could hear Katara yelling as soon as they opened the door. "Where have you two been? You didn't leave a note! You just left!" she yelled angrily.

"Sorry, we got bored," Toph laughed flopping down onto one of there overstuffed chairs.

"I mean what's the worst thing that would happen in Ba Sing Se?" Sokka laughed trying to reassure his sister.

"Just leave a note to tell us where you're going," she huffed before storming into her room.

"Wow, on a vacation and sugar queen still can't relax," laughed Toph grabbing a piece of fruit for dinner.


	25. Chapter 25

**Ok just saying that in my story Jet betrayed Sokka but not Katara so Sokka is the only one that knows what kind of guy he really is. Just wanted to make sure that no one was confused...On to the story**

Sokka walked down the streets of Ba Sing Se towards the third ring where he had promised to meet Zuko. Toph had told the others she was tired and just wanted to relax at home with Tao.

Sokka knew that she was lying but was grateful she had given him the freedom to meet up with Zuko alone. He finally saw Zuko leaning against a wall near where they had agreed to meet.

Zuko didn't seem to see him so he ran to him. "Hey!" he called wrapping his arms around Zuko and kissing him on the lips. He was surprised and hurt when Zuko didn't kiss back but instead shoved him away. "What's wrong?" he asked now really confused.

"Jet is Tao's father, isn't he?" he asked coldly. Sokka froze, how did Zuko know anything about Jet?

"H-how?" was all he could choke out.

"I met him when I came here, he attacked me last night after you left."

"I'm so sorry! I didn't know he was here!"

"Tell me the truth, who is he to you?"

"A monster," Sokka spat. Now it was Zuko's turn to be confused. "I never loved him. I never even liked the bastard! We met him when we were traveling and Katara and Aang trusted him. Then one night..." Sokka couldn't finish the sentence.

"Sokka what happened?" asked Zuko holding his hands.

"It happened a long time ago," Sokka growled ripping his hands away from Zuko. "Lets go do something fun, I'm tired of just standing around," he laughed. Zuko could tell that the laugh was bordering on hysteria and Sokka was fighting to keep tears back.

How could he have been such an idiotic jerk? Zuko had seen the pain Sokka felt when he talked about Tao's other father back when they were on the ship, he should have seen something else was there.

He couldn't think of any other way to comfort Sokka then to hold him. "I'm sorry! I'm an idiot," he whispered into the top of Sokka's head.

Sokka couldn't stop the tears as he cried into Zuko's chest. He couldn't even move as Zuko just held him there and whispered lightly into his hair. "Come on, I know somewhere we can go," he whispered leading Sokka away from the public street.

Sokka had finally calmed down when they reached the small one room apartment that Zuko had lead them to. "Is this where you live?" he asked looking around.

"Yeah, it's pretty small but right now its home," he shrugged sitting down on one of the few pieces of furniture that he had. Sokka awkwardly followed looking over at the walls as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.

Zuko had to get up and lead Sokka to the seat he had been reclining in and pulled Sokka down next to him. "Come on, tell me what has happened since last we met," he prodded before laying his head next to Sokka's

Sokka curled into Zuko and rested his head on Zuko's chest. "I ran into Suki..."

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Katara hated it when Aang was depressed but what else could they expect when no one would help them to find Appa. She watched him sigh in annoyance before punching the wall. "This is hopeless!" he cried out.

"Hey maybe we can cover more ground by splitting up. I can take half the flyers or something," she suggested trying to make him a little less depressed.

He handed over some of the posters but didn't say anything as he walked in the opposite direction. Katara frowned as she watched him walk away, he had been depressed like that ever since Appa had gone missing. She wished there was something she could do for him.

She slowly turned around and started looking for good places to hang up the posters. "Hey Katara." She whirled around to see Jet smiling cockily back at her.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" she asked not believing that he could actually be here.

"Our forest was no longer so welcoming so we decided to move on to where there would be no more fire benders. Ba Sing Se seemed like the best place," he shrugged. "So are you still traveling with the avatar and your brother?"

"Yeah, we're looking for Appa right now, he got taken from us when we were in the desert," she explained. Katara liked Jet, he was one of the few people they had met on their travels she had actually missed.

"Hey maybe I can help," he suggested taking some of the posters from her hands. Katara smiled and happily walked with him as they started to hang up the posters. She knew Sokka didn't trust Jet, hated him even, but she had no idea why. He had always been a nice guy...

She shrugged it off, he wasn't always a great judge of character anyway.

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Sokka walked back into the house that the earth king had given them to stay in. It seemed so huge and cavernous after spending the entire afternoon in Zuko's small apartment.

He smiled as he sat down next to Toph. "Have a nice day?" she asked knowingly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he laughed. Toph shook her head as she slowly stood up from her seat.

"Whatever you say, snoozles." Sokka watched her walk into the room that she shared with Katara and close the door. He sighed in contentment as his eyes started to close.

He looked back up when he heard the door open. He was wondering why Katara and Aang had stayed out for so long, he was about to ask but stopped when he saw who was following his sister. "Hey Sokka, look at who I met in town today!"

"Hey Sokka," Jet purred from the doorway. Sokka froze as he watched that monster enter his house with his sister.

"I told him that he could stay with us for a little while."

"Why?" growled Sokka standing up.

"Because he's our friend, remember," she hissed warningly.

"I have to go," Sokka snarled stomping out of the door.

Sokka stormed around the entire upper ring before he couldn't avoid going home anymore. He growled as he slowly walked the path that lead back to the hell house that he had to now call home.

He arrived at his door way too fast and it took him a minute before he had the guts to open and the door and finally walk in. "Where have you been?" purred a cold voice as soon as he entered the door.

"Leave me alone," he growled walking away. He was surprised when a strong hand grabbed his arm holding him there. "What?" he snarled turning back.

"I've been talking to Katara!"

"Stay away from my sister!" Sokka snarled ripping his arm out of Jet's grip.

"She's not the one you should be worried about!"

"Really? Then what were you two talking about?"

"Your son!" Sokka punched Jet as hard as he could in the mouth. Jet went flying back not expecting the hit but quickly recovered. He flew at Sokka and slammed him into the wall, his arm against Sokka's throat stopping his breathing.

"So it is true, you really are some kind of bitch and that bastard freak of a child is mine," he laughed.

"Stay away from him!" Sokka snarled. Jet just laughed as he smashed Sokka's head against the wall.

Jet sneered as he noticed Sokka shiver. "You don't like me but you let a firebender near him?" he snarled. Sokka froze, how the hell did Jet know about that? Jet laughed at the fear in Sokka's eyes. "Maybe I should tell the others everything, about you and me, and how you just can't stay away from Zuko."

"What the hell do you want with me?" Sokka asked finally defeated.

"Stop seeing that bastard prince of fire, I thought I made it clear last time that you are mine."

Sokka snarled, he belonged to no one. He rammed his knee into Jet surprising the older boy. Jet fell back barely an inch and Sokka kicked him again in the stomach making Jet fall to the floor.

"Don't threaten me! Don't come near me or my son if you do I promise I will kill you!" Jet sneered as he slowly tried to stand up. Sokka grabbed the closest thing and smashed it over his head. "I said get out!"


	26. Chapter 26

Sokka couldn't stop shaking after he had locked the door behind Jet. He slowly trudged back to his room, he had no idea how he was going to explain this to Katara in the morning but right now he didn't care.

He finally laid down in his bed and closed his eyes.

_Sokka was held closely to Zuko's chest as the two of them lay in a bed. He sighed in contentment and moved to get closer. "I told you, you are mine," hissed a cold voice. _

_Sokka's head shot up and instead of Zuko looking down at him it was Jet's cold eyes glaring at him. Sokka tried to get away from him but Jet's arm just held him tighter until he couldn't move at all. "You lied to me Sokka. You should have told me I have a son!" _

"_He's not yours! Stay away from him!" Sokka screamed not being able to do anything else. _

"_He is mine and I will take him!" _

"_NO!" _

Sokka flew up gasping as he realized that it had just been a nightmare. He hadn't had one since he found Zuko, he wasn't used to them anymore. This nightmare had just surprised him, yeah that was why it scared him so much.

He quickly jumped up and ran to where Tao was sleeping just to make sure that he was still sleeping safely. He sat down next to Tao's small bed and just watched his son as he slept peacefully.

"Sokka what are you doing?" asked Toph noticing that he was still awake.

"Just having a bad night," he sighed.

"Want to tell me about it?" she asked sitting down next to him.

"No."

"I can tell you're lying."

Sokka looked up at the blind earthbender, she already knew more about him then his own sister did. Maybe he could trust her with the rest of his dark secrets too. "I just had a nightmare..."

"What could be so frightening that a warrior like you can't sleep?" she asked punching him in the arm slightly.

"Jet"

"What?" Now Toph was really curious to what he was talking about, or hiding.

"He's Tao's other father. He just found out and my nightmares of him doing something to Tao have just gotten that much more real and I don't know what to do."

"How can Katara still like him, trust him even?"

"She doesn't know," Sokka admitted quietly. Toph's jaw dropped as she stared at him. "I couldn't...I'm already useless not being able to bend and all but to admit how weak I really am was just too hard."

Toph nodded understandingly but didn't know what to say. Sokka didn't like the awkward silence that fell between them after that. "We should get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day looking for Appa," he smiled standing up.

Toph followed his example and walked back to the room that she was forced to share with Katara. Sokka sighed as he stood up and went back to his own bed.

The rest of the night all he could do was toss and turn. Every time he closed his eyes he felt as if somebody was waiting to attack him. Jet knew where he was now and he wasn't about to just let him go unscathed.

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When Sokka finally woke up the next morning his eyes were bloodshot and he felt like hell. He sighed in annoyance as he slowly stood up and went to the washroom to get ready for this hellish day.

When he walked out of the washroom he was surprised to hear Katara talking about Jet. "I don't know where he went, he just left!" she sighed sadly.

"Maybe he decided to go on another man-hunt or something," he growled sitting down at the table to eat breakfast.

"I didn't like him," Toph responded her face dark.

"You barely got to meet him. When did you get time to judge him?" Katara asked glaring at Toph.

"It comes with the whole blind thing, I end up seeing people more clearly," she shrugged. Katara wouldn't stop glaring at her but Toph didn't notice as she continued with her breakfast.

"Hey I got some more posters with Appa on them we can hang them up around town," Aang yelled running into the room. "We can split up and go through the lower rings too, just in case."

"Sokka and I can take the third ring!" Toph yelled happily. Aang and Katara looked at the two of them quizzically. Sokka just shrugged as he stood up and followed Toph out of the house.

"What was that about?" Sokka asked when they were passing through the second ring.

"I thought if we ran into Zuko you can at least talk to him or something, with Katara or Aang you might have to fight him or worse," she shrugged acting as if all of this was completely normal.

"Oh, thanks." He was surprised at how helpful and understanding the blind earthbender could be.

"Besides if I ran into any of those Dai Lee goons Katara or Aang wouldn't let me bash their heads in," she whined. Sokka laughed as she walked ahead of him.

They finally arrived in the third ring and started putting up the posters that Aang had had printed. Long Feng had already told them that they shouldn't be hanging posters and a whole lot of other things but all of them had ignored him. They no longer cared what the rules were.

"You still haven't found Appa?" asked a familiar voice.

Sokka looked up surprised to see Zuko watching them sympathetically. "Hey I have to do something, over there," Toph laughed as she ran away from the two.

Sokka's cheeks instantly turned red as he heard Toph laughing as she walked away. "So she knows?" asked Zuko watching her.

"Yeah, but she promised not to tell Katara," he laughed nervously.

"What's wrong?" asked Zuko cupping his cheek. Sokka looked at him quizzically, "Since you came into the third ring you've been looking around like somebody is about to jump out and attack you, even when I just said hello you got into a defensive stance," he pointed out.

Sokka bit his lip not knowing what to say, Zuko already knew about him and Jet. "Jet came to the house where we are staying, he knows about Tao. I've just been on edge lately," he admitted.

"Is that bastard threatening you?" Zuko growled. He knew Jet was insane and that was fine as long as the only one he harassed was Zuko but as soon as he went after Sokka he had gone too far.

"Not since I kicked him out," Sokka admitted quietly.

"What happened?"

"We got into a fight and after I smashed a vase over his head I told him that if he ever came back I would kill him." Zuko just stared at Sokka, he knew that the other teenager was a warrior of the watertribe but he had never heard Sokka threaten death to anyone, even him when they were enemies.

"Hopefully he gets the message," Zuko sighed praying that Jet really would leave Sokka and Tao alone.

"We both know he's not done," Sokka sighed leaning against the wall that was behind him. "He won't stop until he gets what he wants or is dead."

"Well he isn't going to get what he wants so I guess that leaves only one option," Zuko promised before kissing Sokka.

"I'm so sick of that bastard thinking that I'm his!" Sokka sighed annoyed.

"Then let's show him your not" Zuko grinned grabbing Sokka's hand and pulling him roughly into a kiss. Sokka was surprised by Zuko's actions and opened his mouth to say something but before he could Zuko's tongue filled the space.

Sokka couldn't remember the last time they had kissed this passionately and wasn't about to stop it. He wrapped his arms around Zuko's neck pulling their bodies closer as the kissing got even hotter.

Zuko loved the taste of Sokka's mouth as his tongue went over every crevice and tasted every inch. Finally the two of them had to pull apart to breathe. Sokka looked up at Zuko surprised, red highlighting his face. Zuko smiled at how cute Sokka looked when he was acting shy. "That should send him the message," Zuko whispered into Sokka's ear.

Sokka was about to say something sarcastic but he saw Toph walking up. If he said anything now she would have questions and there were certain things that he did not want to tell her.

xxxxxxx

Jet watched as Sokka kissed that bastard of a firebender. At first he had just been confused, Sokka's mother had died at the hand of a firebender and now he was making out with one. But soon his confusion had just turned to anger. He had warned that whore and now he had to pay!

Jet ran from the building he was standing on as he saw the blind girl approach. He didn't know how but she saw everything and he didn't want Sokka or that bastard of a firebender to have any kind of warning for what he was about to do.

Just as he was about to disappear Jet heard Zuko whisper "That should send him the message." His hands curled into fists, if that firebender wanted to send him a message then Jet should return the favor.


	27. Chapter 27

Sokka layed down next to Zuko, Toph had made some lie up for why he wouldn't be coming home tonight. He didn't really care what they thought he just wanted to be with Zuko.

Zuko smiled as he wrapped his arms around Sokka's shoulders his head resting on the other's chest. "You sure this is okay? A whole night without Tao?" Zuko asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Sokka whispered before making Zuko look up and kiss him on the lips.

xxxxxx

Jet watched the house, Sokka hadn't come home since he left early that morning. He had no idea what the warrior could be doing but he really didn't care, as long as he was out of the way.

He knew that the kid was sleeping in the same room as the earthbender. That could be problem unless she was a light sleeper. He carefully opened the window and looked inside.

The girl snored like a raccoon bear in her sleep. He smiled as he slowly crawled through the window and into the room. "Sokka..." Jet's eyes shot up when he heard the girl whispering something, he sighed in relief when he realized she was just talking in her sleep. Poor girl was probably obsessed with that easy slut. He snickered as he carefully made his way to the crib.

He could hear the kid's breathing, he must be asleep too. That would make his job easier. He laughed, this was all way too easy. He grabbed the kid and in two seconds he was back out the window and gone.

xxxxxx

Sokka's tore away from Zuko suddenly, "Is something wrong?" asked Zuko surprised hoping he hadn't done something to screw this up.

"No...I just thought I heard Tao crying," he mumbled looking around as if Tao would just somehow be there.

"I didn't hear anything?" Zuko admitted confused. "Maybe I can make you think of something else," he offered pressing his lips against Sokka's collar bone making the smaller boy shiver with anticipation.

Zuko smiled as he lowered Sokka back down onto the bed so he was the one on top. "I can make you forget everything," he promised.

Sokka nodded trying not to show how scared he was. The last time this had happened it was not something he wanted or even with someone he liked, but this time was different. He kept trying to tell himself that.

Zuko slowly started kissing him down the collar bone to his stomach until he made it all the way to the navel. He slowly started sucking untying the sash to his pants to reveal more. "Stop!" Sokka shot up jumping off the bed.

"Sokka?" Zuko asked stunned to see his warrior holding his knees to his chest and crying in the corner like a small child. "Sokka what's wrong?" he asked slowly walking over to the other boy.

"I keep seeing his face! I keep feeling his hands!" Sokka sobbed trying to get the chill out that had seeped under his skin.

Zuko didn't know what to say, words were not his strong point. All he could do was pull Sokka into a tight hug holding the smaller boy to his chest as if his life depended on it right now, not the other way around.

"I'm sorry!" Sokka sobbed into Zuko's chest trying to hide how horrified he was.

"Stop it! I'm not mad, this isn't your fault!" Zuko reassured him. Sokka smiled, Zuko was nothing like Jet, he just wished his mind could see the difference when they were went further then they had before.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Shut up!" Jet screamed at the crying toddler. He had only taken the kid less then twenty minutes ago and he was already wanted to ditch him somewhere in the city. He stopped, that could be a good revenge, Sokka may never find him again. No, he couldn't do that.

He finally made it back to his room and set the kid down on the ground. "Hey, what the hell is the matter with you!" Jet yelled irritated. The kid started to sniffle instead of screaming his lungs out, Jet sighed happy for the somewhat silence.

"Daddy?"

"NO!"Jet yelled instantly regretting it as the kid started sobbing again. "Hey! Shut up!" Jet yelled smacking the kid. Tao stopped crying out of surprise, that had never happened to him before. "Start crying and I will make you regret it!" he threatened.

Tao didn't like this man, he was not like his daddy. He was mean.

Jet laid down on his bed, he had had the kid for less then an hour and he was already exhausted. He had no idea why Sokka hadn't ditched the brat right after he was born. It would have been so much easier.

He closed his eyes figuring he could get a few hours of sleep before he had to worry about Sokka finding out that his precious baby was missing.

xxxxxxxx

Sokka walked through the quiet streets back to his house. He had to leave early to make sure that Katara and Aang didn't realize he had been out all night. There would be too many questions that he just didn't have answer too.

As he walked closer to the house he felt like something was wrong, he just had no idea what it was. He tried to wave it off, figuring the dark streets and quietness was just making him paranoid.

He quietly opened the door hoping that nobody was awake for some weird reason. He quietly slipped into the house and tried to walk quietly to Toph's room. Tao had gotten closer to her lately and she volunteered to take care of him while he was out with Zuko.

"Hey Tao," he whispered walking over to the small cot. He reached in to pick up his son but there was nothing there, just the blanket. "Tao!" he yelled throwing the bedding as if his son would be hiding. "Tao where are you!" he screamed starting to look around the room.

"What's wrong?" asked Toph groggily after being woken up from the shouting.

"Tao's gone!" he shouted running into the next room. He had to be here, somewhere! Where else would he be?

"What do you mean?" Toph asked shooting up from her bed.

"I mean he is not in this house!" he yelled still running around like a mad man. Toph jumped up, what Sokka said couldn't be true. She tried to feel any vibrations coming from the toddler but there was nothing.

"He's not here," she gasped. Where the hell could he have gone? Did someone take him? This couldn't be right, there had to be something she was missing!

**Ok sorry this chapter took so long but I was having major writer's block, anyway I want your guys' opinions on wether or not there should be some sokka/zuko smut scenes in this story and if I should make Jet be hook up with someone so please message me and tell me what you think any ideas are always aprreciated**


	28. Chapter 28

Sokka was curled up in a corner of the house. There was only one person that would take his son, his worst nightmares had come true. To make things worse he didn't even know where Jet could be or if he would ever see either of them again.

Toph sat down next to him trying to think of a way to say what was on her mind without sounding like a total ass. She couldn't think of a way. "You know maybe now is the time to tell Katara and Aang that Jet is the other father," she suggested quietly.

"Why the hell would I do that? Just make all my nightmares come true in one day?" he growled not looking at her.

"No, but if you tell them what's going on then they will know who to look for and if they do find him do you really want Jet telling Katara how everything happened?" Sokka went rigid at the idea of his sister hearing every detail of the worst night of his life.

"I-I will figure out what to do if it comes to that," he sighed quietly. Toph shook her head knowing that there was no way that this was going to end well.

Katara screamed in frustration as she was lead away from the royal offices, no one was willing to even hear them out about Tao. No one cared! She stomped down the steps until she was on the street and started walking back towards the house. Maybe Sokka had thought of something else to try and locate his son.

"Hey Katara!" she looked up surprised to see Jet walking towards her.

"Jet, what are you doing here?" she asked immediately forgetting her desperation to find Tao. "I didn't think I would see you after you left the house so suddenly," she admitted shyly.

"Yeah, sorry about that, something came up," he laughed.

"Doesn't matter, as long as you're here now," she giggled grabbing his arm and pulling him down the street towards the house. Jet smiled, Katara really was just too easy. He couldn't wait to see her face when she heard all about her brother's "exploits".

Toph sat next to Sokka, neither of them said anything, there was nothing to say. Both of their heads shot up when they heard the door to the house open. "Katara what did they..." Sokka stopped when he saw who was with his sister. "What the hell are you doing here?" he snarled at Jet.

"I came to talk to you," he smiled with false sincerity. Katara looked up at him confused, she thought he had come for her. "It would seem that you have been a horrible father and lost _our _son."

Sokka could feel his stomach drop as Katara gasped staring between Jet and her brother. "What do you mean our son? Are you saying your Tao's other father?" she whispered trying to figure what was going on.

"Yes...wait do you mean to say that Sokka never told you about _us_?" Jet asked with fake surprise. All Sokka wanted to do was kill him and rip that smug smile off of his face. "How awful, maybe I should just tell them."

"Shut up!" Sokka yelled his blood boiling. "Where's Tao?"

"Come to think of it, if you didn't tell them about me, then you must have forgotten to tell them all about your new lover, Prince Zuko." Katara turned on Sokka her face red with anger. That bastard had turned it on him to look like the bad guy?

"Katara I was going to tell you but I was waiting for a better time..." he defended weakly.

"A better time? What about Jet, was there no _better time_ in the last three years? You knew how I felt!"

"He raped me!" Sokka yelled. Katara fell silent, her eyes widening.

Before Sokka could say anything else Katara had regained her composure, "Stop lying Sokka, don't blame Jet for your mistakes!" Sokka was speechless, he had never before wanted to slap his sister.

"Oh, but he's not lying," Jet whispered. Katara looked between the two of them looking for something as if this was a joke but all she was Jet's smug sneer and Sokka's defeated face pleading with her. They were telling the truth, but she really wished they hadn't.

"I'm done with this game, I want my son back," Sokka growled. He had stopped feeling sorry for himself, he didn't give a crap if Katara ever understood or not, all he wanted to do was find Tao and kill this bastard.

Jet shrugged as he started walking, Sokka glared at him as he followed him slowly. "Where the hell are you going?" Katara yelled following them.

"Stop!" Katara froze at the fury in Jet's voice, "Only Sokka." She looked at Sokka uncertainly, he nodded. Jet had all the power and right now he had to just do as he was told.

Jet smiled as Katara watched the two of them walk away, this would be a good day. They finally crossed over to the third ring and near where Jet was staying. He turned down an alley that he knew would be deserted right now.

Sokka looked around realizing that he and Jet were completely alone, it didn't even look like any houses were near. Suddenly Jet grabbed his ponytail and thrust a dagger into his neck. "Do you think the fire bastard will get _my_ message if he finds you dead?" He snarled.

"Jet what the hell are you doing?" Sokka growled trying to stay calm even as he felt the blood slowly run down his neck.

"Sending a message, just like he did. Just mine does not include sucking your face! Even though it really could..." he whispered the last part right before biting the shell of Sokka's ear. Sokka shivered in surprise and jerked forward nearly slicing his own throat.

"How do you know about that? Have you been watching me?" he growled.

Jet scoffed, "I was watching the firebnder, waiting until I could kill him. You just happened to cross his path...a lot." Sokka growled wanting to punch the bastard but Jet had all the control...again.

xxxxxxx

Zuko walked down the street of the third ring, he was starving and needed to get some food. He had just stole some gold pieces off a rich guy so he could actually afford more then ostrich horse slop.

He stopped when he heard some yelling coming from a back alley way. The voices sounded really familiar. He slowly looked into the alley and stopped when he saw Sokka kneeling in front of Jet, a knife to his throat. That bastard!

He flew back behind the wall as Sokka followed Jet out of the alley,the knife away from his neck. Why was Sokka going with him so willingly?

"Please, just tell me you haven't hurt Tao," Sokka begged. Zuko's stomach dropped, that bastard had taken Tao? Even he wasn't so low as to use a child as a bargaining chip, especially his own.

All he wanted to do was fry the bastard but now he had to stay calm and follow them, he would and could only help Sokka once they had his son back.

He followed the two of them as they walked further into the shady parts of the third ring, even Zuko stayed away from here. Finally Jet turned into a shaky looking building that he must be staying in. Zuko looked at the walls, he would have to find a window or something so he could know what was going on.

xxxxx

Sokka looked around the run down building, it looked like it would collapse at any second. "Nice place," Sokka sneered receiving a slap to the back if his head. Sokka rolled his eyes and looked around, it was empty. "Where is he?" Sokka asked trying to listen for even a cry.

"Don't worry, he's fine," Jet growled shoving him further into the building, "he's over there." As soon as he saw the mat his son was lying on he ran to him not caring if Jet would be angry.

He leaned down to see that Tao was sleeping, he looked almost pale but other then that he looked fine. He smiled as he reached down to pick up his son but suddenly his arms were pinned behind him.

"What the hell?" he growled as Jet threw him back making him hit his head against the ground.

"You don't get it Sokka, do you? You are mine!" Suddenly Jet was on him, the dagger at his throat, "Do I need to repeat my lesson?" Sokka tried to shove Jet off of him but Jet grabbed his belt and used it to tie his hands above his head. "Has that fire bastard taught you anything new?" he laughed ripping open his tunic.

"Get off him!" Zuko screamed as fire erupted all around them. Jet jumped up surprised by the sudden attack. Zuko was here, Sokka was finally safe. He jumped up trying to get as far away from Jet as possible.

Jet wasn't about to surrender to some firebender that easily. He ran to where the toddler was still sleeping.

Zuko wrapped his arms around Sokka, "Are you alright?" he asked looking over Sokka, his eyes narrowing when he saw Sokka's hands tied.

"I'm fine," Sokka reassured him, "I just need to get out of here! Where's Tao?"

"Daddy!" Both teens looked over to see Jet holding the toddler, one of his hooked swords around Tao's neck.

"What the hell!" Zuko snarled releasing Sokka.

"Shut up fire bastard! This doesn't include you!" Jet snarled. Sokka cringed, he could see the madness in Jet's eyes. He would kill Tao without a second thought if this continued. Zuko stepped forward, his hands already smoldering with fire. Sokka grabbed his shoulder and shook his head, effectively making him freeze in his steps. "Oooh, good call," Jet sneered.

"Please put Tao down, this is between me and you!" Sokka begged.

"You made this problem! You should have learned your lesson the first time!" he screamed, his grip tightening on the sword that hung against Tao's throat. "You chose him over me!" he screamed glaring at Zuko.

"Then this is my fault, punish me," Zuko said calmly taking a tentative step forward. Sokka watched him, shocked as he slowly took another step. "Punishing Tao and Sokka won't fix anything, I did this."

Jet watched him closely as Zuko stepped closer, "Why the hell would I do anything to you?" he snarled.

"Because you can punish Sokka and deal with a firebender at the same time," Zuko shrugged. Zuko was now only an arm's length away from Tao, he still had no idea how Jet would react to his offer.

Suddenly before he could react Jet dropped Tao and lunged at Zuko, a dagger in his hand. Zuko dropped to the ground, a dagger in his shoulder and Jet standing over him with a sword in his other hand. "I will kill you!" Jet hissed swinging the hooked sword down.

Zuko grabbed the hooked sword heating up his hand until Jet screamed and dropped the sword. Zuko threw Jet as far as he could from him before blasting as much fire as he could with his uninjured hand. When the flames were so high that he could no longer see Jet he grabbed Tao and ran, Sokka was right behind them.

By the time they made it out of the building the roof was starting to cave in, with Jet still inside. Both of the teens ran as fast as they could, they just wanted to get away. Zuko was the first one to stop, falling to the ground his shoulder throbbing.

"Zuko!" Sokka collapsed next to him holding onto him tightly, sobbing, "You scared me! Thank you!" he cried picking up Tao and holding him tightly against his chest.

"We have to get out of here," Zuko whispered gently noticing some people that had started looking at them. Right now they needed no extra attention. "Come on, my place is closest," he whispered standing up slowly, holding his injured shoulder.

Sokka slowly stood up, Tao in his arms, and followed Zuko silently through the streets. Finally they arrived at the small one room flat and Zuko sunk onto the bed.

Sokka sat down next to him, his eyes immediately falling on the still bleeding stab wound. Zuko saw the look and sighed, "I'm fine," he promised.

"You're still bleeding," Sokka argued, "We have to wrap it before it gets worse or infected."

Zuko sighed as Sokka ran through his room looking for what he needed to fix Zuko's wound. Zuko honestly didn't think it was that bad, sure it hurt but that was as bad as it got. He laughed as he set Tao down in the room that he guessed could be called the kitchen.

"Zuko!" Sokka yelled getting his attention. He smiled when he saw Sokka run back into the room, a look of frustration on his face. "You have nothing here!" he growled.

"Sorry, small paycheck," Zuko shrugged, grimacing from moving his injured shoulder.

"Stop moving so much," Sokka growled walking over to him, "Lay down so I can see what I have to do." Sokka grabbed his hand leading him back to the bedroom. Zuko laid down on the bed as Sokka looked at the wound, his fingers gently ghosting over the wound.

Zuko shivered at the touch, he loved Sokka's gentle fingers. He flinched as Sokka started wrapping the wound, "Sorry," Sokka murmured trying to be gentle. Finally Sokka was done and laid down next to Zuko. "It's finally over," he whispered, resting his head on Zuko's chest.

Zuko rolled over so that he was on top of Sokka. He slowly kissed his lips before moving down lower until he was nipping at the other teen's neck. He could feel Sokka go rigid underneath him. "Tell me to stop and I will," Zuko promised, "but I swear I am nothing like him."

"I want you!" Sokka whispered with certainty, his eyes showing no fear. Zuko smiled but before he could go back to kissing him, Sokka captured his mouth his tongue swirling around. Zuko never wanted to let go but he had to come up for air, when he did Sokka's mouth slowly went lower.

Sokka bit the sensitive skin on Zuko's neck leaving love-marks as he slowly went lower. Finally he reached Zuko's length that had already gone erect from Sokka's touch. Sokka's tongue flitted into the small slit that was already leaking pre-come. Zuko shivered as Sokka finally took his entire length into his mouth, his tongue swirling around making Zuko go crazy.

Zuko grabbed a fist of Sokka's hair as he screamed his name and came in his mouth. Sokka eagerly swallowed all of the liquid that came into his mouth, loving the taste of Zuko.

Zuko grabbed Sokka's mouth wanting to taste them together. As their lips were locked together Zuko gently placed a single finger into Sokka's entrance. Sokka gasped deliciously making Zuko want him more. "I love you!" he whispered holding Sokka close to him. Zuko bit Sokka's lip gently trying to distract him from the second finger that he was scissoring with the first.

Sokka squirmed, unused to the touch but immediately forgot about it as Zuko's tongue swirled around his nipple making him moan in pleasure. Zuko slowly took his fingers out, "Are you ready?" he asked gently.

Sokka nodded desperately, "I need you!" he cried. That was all Zuko needed before he placed his length near Sokka's entrance. "Do it!" Sokka begged, his eyes glazed over in ecstasy. Zuko thrust hard making Sokka gasp in pain, his second thrust hit the ball of nerves that made Sokka's pain turn to absolute pleasure.

Zuko loved the feel of Sokka around him, coming only in minutes screaming Sokka's name. Sokka loved the feeling of Zuko's warm seed filling him, making him lose it spraying both their chests and stomachs with the white liquid.

Both teens fell, Zuko still on top of Sokka, both trying to catch their breath. "I love you," Zuko whispered, his hands running through Sokka's hair.

"I love you too," Sokka purred kissing Zuko lightly on the lips. Sokka's eyes slowly started to close, the exhaustion of the day and Zuko's warmth overcoming him.

Zuko smiled when he heard Sokka's breathing even out, meaning he was asleep. Zuko never wanted this to end, he would give up everything to spend the rest of his life just like this.

**I will admit it this is my very first smut scene so forgive me if its not that good. I would love pointers though so helpful criticism would be appreciated. **


	29. Chapter 29

_**Sorry this chapter is like really choppy but I wanted to add that it all takes place over about a week. Hopefully you guys like it and if you do PLEASE REVIEW! I miss hearing from people! **_

Sokka's eyes slowly opened, he could hear Tao whining in the other room and someone cooing to him. He slowly stood up and watched as Zuko fed his son breakfast on his lap. "You two look really cute," Sokka laughed smiling at them.

"I could say the same about you," Zuko smirked looking at Sokka, who's only covering was a thin sheet. Sokka's cheeks blushed a deep red as Zuko giggled. "Let's give your daddy a little privacy," Zuko smiled leaving with Tao so Sokka could get dressed.

Sokka grabbed his tunic and pants off the floor where they were thrown last night. He quickly pulled them on before walking into the room where Zuko and Tao had disappeared to.

He sat down next to Zuko who was cleaning the food off of Tao' face that had missed his mouth. Tao laughed as he squirmed out of Zuko's arms and ran to Sokka jumping up and down. "You are really energetic this morning," Sokka laughed pulling the bouncing toddler into his lap.

Sokka was still laughing when he noticed Zuko's frown. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"You have to go back to the avatar, your sister and friends are probably freaking out right now worrying about you." Sokka sighed looking down at his hands, biting his lip as if he wanted to say something. "Is something wrong?" Zuko asked lifting Sokka's chin so that he was forced to look into Zuko's eyes.

"They know."

"Who knows what?" Zuko asked, his hands starting to shake.

"My friends, my sister, they know everything. Jet told them after he took Tao." Zuko's hands dropped away from Sokka completely, he didn't know what to say. "If I go, I don't know if I will be able to see you again."

The two of them sat there silently, not knowing what to say. The silence was finally broken by Tao pulling on Sokka's tunic, "Daddy be happy!" he huffed. Sokka smiled sadly as he kissed his son on the head.

"You have to go, you don't know what they will do if you don't go see them," Zuko shrugged sadly. Sokka nodded as he slowly stood up. "Don't worry, it will be fine," he promised kissing Sokka deeply on the lips. He would savour this kiss because he did not know how long it would have to last him.

Sokka smiled as he walked out of the house and slowly started walking back to his own house. It took him about twenty minutes before he saw the familiar door.

He slowly opened the door not knowing what to expect on the other side. As soon as the door was open Toph flew into his arms. "You're alright! I was so worried! Snuffles never do that again!" she yelled.

Katara and Aang came out of their rooms from all the noise but ran and hugged Sokka and Tao as soon as they saw them. "What happened? Where's Jet? What did he do?" Sokka lifted his arms trying to silence the questions being shot at him.

"We're fine, I don't know what happened to Jet and he didn't do anything," Sokka lied, he didn't want to tell them about all the things that had happened. He especially didn't want to tell Katara that Jet was dead.

"Why were you out all night?" asked Katara quietly. Sokka could tell she feeling guilty after what had happened.

"Don't worry about it, I ran into an old friend and hung at his house because it was so late." He could tell by Toph's glare she knew he was lying but thankfully she kept that fact to herself.

xxxxxxx

Zuko laid back down onto his bed after Sokka had left. He always hated when Sokka left, the house seemed so much smaller and darker. He closed his eyes, he had to do something just staying here would drive him crazy.

He jumped up pulling on his boots and grabbing his mask, he would be the blue spirit today. That always gave him something to do. He ran out of the house and into some of the back alleys, maybe he could find some place he hadn't been to. It was a big city.

xxxxxxx

Aang and Katara had finally left the house and Toph was staring down at him. "So what's the truth Snuffles?" she asked sitting down next to him. Sokka looked at her uncertainly, he didn't know what to say. "Come on, you can tell me anything."

"Zuko saved me, he actually got stabbed trying to save Tao. We went back to his place, so that I could wrap his wound. One thing lead to another and..." Sokka couldn't finish that sentance. Sure Toph was a close friend but that was just too private.

Toph looked down at him, her cheeks turning bright red. Sokka laughed, after all this time he had forgotten that she was younger then him and probably not into that sort of thing yet. "Anyway, did anything happen while I was gone?"

"Nothing important, just Sugar-queen freaking out," she shrugged. Both looked up as they heard a knock on the door. Sokka stood up figuring it was the safer choice, if it was someone telling them about more rules Toph would send them through a wall.

He opened the door to see a messenger holding a note, "This is for you," he bowed before walking away. Sokka shut the door as he opened the letter to see what it was about.

_Dear Avatar, _

_Some old friends of yours, the Kyoshi warriors, have arrived at the palace and would like to see you. I would be happy to see you and your friends as soon as possible to welcome them. _

_Sincerely, _

_King of Ba Sing Se_

"What's the letter about?" Toph asked looking over his shoulder.

"The Kyoshi warriors are in Ba Sing Se and the earth king has invited us to the palace to meet them," he sighed folding the note back up and setting it down on the table.

"Are we going to meet them?" Toph asked excitedly.

"Yeah, I guess we should." Toph smiled as she followed Sokka out the door.

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Zuko walked down the dark passageway. He had seen one of the Dai Lee members go down this way and had followed them. He looked around wondering what this place was meant for.

He could hear marching and yelling. He knew that cold voice, he had to grow up with that voice mocking him. What the hell was Azula doing in Ba Sing Se? He flew to the ground as his body went limp.

"Hey Zuzu," Ty Lee laughed twirling around him at a dizzying speed.

"What the hell Ty Lee? What's going on?" he growled trying to stay calm.

"I can't tell you! Azula would be mad!" she laughed before skipping off. He tried to move just a hand but nothing was responding. His blood ran cold when he heard a cold laugh close to him.

"Who knew when I came here I would get the avatar and a traitor. Father will be so happy with me."

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Sokka walked through the halls of the palace, Toph close behind him. "I never liked it here," she whispered. Sokka nodded but something about this time seemed...strange. He shrugged it off, it was probably him just being paranoid again.

The two of them finally reached the throne room and stopped. There were no Kyoshi warriors waiting for them but Azula and her two maniac friends. "What the hell are you doing here?" Sokka yelled as he backed away from them.

"Aw, didn't you miss me?" asked Ty Lee appearing right next to him. Before he could react she had hit him in the side and arm making him drop to the ground, paralyzed. Toph was faster then Sokka, throwing a boulder at the circus freak making her go flying.

Toph dodged a knife before hearing the king cry out. "Surrender or he dies," Azula growled. Toph could tell she meant what she said.

"Get out of here! Tell Aang!" Sokka yelled. Toph cringed she didn't want to leave him but she had to. She ran as fast as she could throwing boulders behind to stop the circus freak and knife thrower that were trying to follow her.

Azula shoved the king away from her and turned back to Sokka who was still laying on the floor, Tao in his arms. "We seem to keep running into each other like this," she laughed walking towards him.

xxxxxx

Zuko looked up as he saw the hole to the cave he was trapped in open up. He was surprised to see Sokka come rolling towards him. "Sokka?" he cried running towards him. Sokka slowly sat up rubbing his head. "Are you okay?" Zuko asked kneeling next to him.

"No! They took Tao away from me!" he growled running back to where he had come in and started slamming his fists against the wall. "There has to be someway out of this cave!" he yelled crumpling to the ground.

Zuko ran to him, holding him. "Don't worry, it will be okay," he promised.

"Okay? How the hell will it be okay when that sociopath has my son?" Sokka screamed.

"Ty Lee and Mai won't let her do anything, I'm sure of it."

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"Isn't he adorable!" Ty Lee cried bouncing Tao on her lap. Azula rolled her eyes, she really did not have time for this and let her friend decide what to do with the brat as long as he stayed quiet. "Aw, I wish he were mine!"

"Your just saying that because you like the water warrior," Mai rolled her eyes. Ty Lee stuck out her tongue in annoyance before turning back to toddler. Azula rolled her eyes, she could not believe that she was friends with these two.

"Princess Azula," she looked over as one of the Dai Lee soldiers bowed to her, "The avatar has been spotted"

"Perfect."


	30. Chapter 30

"Are you sure they are in the castle?" Aang asked as he steered Appa past the wall.

"Yeah, they have Sokka and Tao! We have to hurry!" Toph growled hating it when people questioned her about things she had already told them.

"Why the hell does Sokka keep getting captured?" Katara snarled not knowing who she was more pissed off at, Sokka or Azula. She sat back into the saddle trying to stay calm. She had to save her brother and nephew before it was too late.

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Zuko laid on the ground holding Sokka tenderly. Sokka was still freaking out about Tao being with Azula, he was probably safer with Jet then that crazy bitch. He tried to calm him down but he didn't know what to say, there was nothing to say.

He froze when he saw the entrance to the cave slowly start to open. Sokka jumped away from him right as the rock was moved away. "Snuffles!" Sokka fell as Toph leapt into his arms.

"You had us so worry! Would you stop frikin getting captured? Let one of us girls be the damsel in distress for once! I was so worried!" she yelled not letting go of him. Sokka looked at her dumfounded, he had never seen Toph act this way about anybody before.

"Toph?" Katara asked also creeped out by the way she was acting.

"Anyway, we should get moving," Toph coughed finally letting go of Sokka, "We don't know who saw us or what is waiting..." she was cut off by the loud rumbling of rocks being moved out of the way.

"Come on!" Katara growled running further into the cave to get away from whoever was coming after them.

Zuko watched as Sokka ran further into the cave, he would try and give them as much chance as possible to get away. "Aw, are you going to try and fight me Zuzu" Azula laughed as the Dai Lee cleared the way for her.

"Get the hell out of here Azula! You don't belong here!" he growled.

"You're right, but neither do you, brother." Zuko's arms slowly started to drop, what was his sister saying? "Here is your chance to help me, we can return home together and you can take your rightful place as the prince of the fire nation." "S

"Shut up!" Zuko growled, his fists already burning with fire.

"Whatever you want brother," she shrugged before walking deeper into the cave after the avatar. Zuko watched, had she really been serious about him returning? He shook his head, he could not betray Sokka like that. At the same time if the avatar lost to his sister or to his father Sokka would be treated as a traitor for the rest of his life, he would constantly be on the run. Zuko could only help him if he was prince once again and the only way to do that was to help Azula. Zuko shook his head, he really wished Iroh was here right now, he desperately needed advice.

Toph stopped as they reached a dead end in the cave, "She's here," Toph growled pointing behind them where Azula had appeared.

"Oh, the blind girl is good," she sneered. "Too bad she's going to die." Before Toph could react she was thrown back into a wall by the force of a flame. She turned to Aang and smiled. He barely had a chance to cover himself in an armor of rock before the flames enveloped him.

Sokka could only watch with horror as Katara and Aang fought against Azula, slowly losing. Without the ability to firebend on their side Aang and Katara could only go on the offensive.

Zuko slowly walked through the entrance, he could hear the battle before he saw it. Azula was fighting Katara, Aang had wrapped himself into some sort of cocoon. "Are you with me or against me, brother?" Azula growled.

Katara took the chance and froze Azula's arms, if she couldn't firebend they would win this.

Sokka watched in horror as Zuko broke the ice holding his sister. "With," he growled before charging at Katara. She threw a wave of water at him but even from where he was sitting Sokka could tell she would not win this fight if Aang didn't help her soon.

Finally Aang came out of the cocon he had made with rock, his eyes and tattoos glowing as he had entered the avatar state. Sokka smiled, there was no way they could lose if Aang was in the avatar state. But of course he was wrong.

Azula shot him down with one shot to the heart the twelve year old avatar fell.

Zuko frowned as he watched Katara grab Aang before he hit the ground. Sokka would never forgive him if the avatar had really died like this, he silently prayed to Agni that the avatar somehow survived his sister's attack.

"Watch out," Toph whispered before slamming her hand into the wall. Suddenly the roof above them fell separating them from the royal siblings. She grimaced as she hit the wall again, she could feel Appa was close but the wound was making it hard to bend at all.

Toph could see the Dai Lee were quickly removing the barrier she made. Finally there was a hole big enough that Appa could get to them through. "Come on!" she growled trying to limp to the air bison. Sokka picked up Aang quickly following her, Katara right behind them.

Just as the air bison left the ground the barrier that Toph had created fell. Azula was not about to let the avatar and his friends get away that easily. She wanted to her father the prize she had caught.

Zuko watched in horror as the lightning hit Appa on the side making him careen into one of the walls.

Sokka yelled as he was thrown from the saddle, Katara tried to grab his hand but nearly fell off herself.

Zuko watched as Sokka fell to the ground as if it was in slow motion. He wanted to run and catch him but at the same time it felt as if something was holding his legs in place. He could only watch as Sokka smashed into the ground, his body going limp.

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Zuko paced behind the throne that his sister sat in, he couldn't stop thinking about how pale Sokka had looked when the Dai Lee carried him out of the cave. The healer had said he would be okay eventually but what if the old man had been wrong? "Brother would you stop that, you're giving me a headache," Azula growled.

"Sorry, Zuko mumbled before sitting down in one of the padded seats. He didn't want to sit still and listen to his sister, he wanted to be by Sokka and reassure him that everything would be alright and that Zuko really hadn't betrayed him.

"What is wrong with you? Do you seriously like the water peasant that much?" Azula asked from the throne. Zuko shook his head, he would never admit anything like that to her. "You know father won't approve, not only is he from the water tribe, he can't produce heirs. He's useless."

Zuko wanted to tell her off, but he bit his tongue. "I know."

"I think Mai still has the hots for you, try going after her or something." Zuko nodded and stood up. Walking around and maybe finding Mai would be good for him, if he just happened to walk by the healers room and see how Sokka was doing that would be better.

Zuko walked through the halls, he had been here for about a day and still easily got lost. He sighed as he realized he had walked down the same hall only moments before. "You never would good at directions, were you?" Mai smiled walking next to him.

He turned to say something to her but stopped when he saw Tao was sleeping in her arms. "Why do you have him?" Zuko asked before thinking.

Mai looked surprised before looking down at the sleeping toddler and shrugged, "I don't trust Azula with him and Ty Lee is running an errand, besides he reminds me of my little brother." Zuko was surprised, Mai actually looked happy when she looked at Tao, maybe the knife thrower had really changed while he was gone.

"Zuzu?" Zuko jumped in surprise when he heard the Tao's small voice. "Zuko!" he screamed reaching for him. Mai looked at Zuko surprised before handing the toddler over.

"You better explain later," she muttered before walking off. Zuko groaned, Mai was trustworthy but there were certain things he didn't exactly want to talk to her about. He looked up when he heard her call his name, "Just so you know, I am going to visit the prisoner." Zuko nodded as he quickly followed her, something told him she already knew what was really between him and Sokka.

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Sokka glared at the healer, he had the fire insignia on his chest showing that he wasn't even from the earthkingdom. So far he had ignored all of Sokka's question only answering with a "I am just a lowly servant to the firenation" It was seriously starting to piss him off.

"Where is my son?" Sokka tried again. If he could find out nothing else he at least wanted to know where Tao was.

"I am just..."

"Shut up! I don't give a damn about who the hell you are! Just tell me what I want to know!" Sokka yelled completely losing his temper. The man acted as if he hadn't heard any of Sokka's outburst as he continued whatever it was that he was doing.

Sokka growled before laying back on the bed that he had been tied to. He guessed that the royal siblings didn't want him running away just yet. He looked up when he heard the door open, wondering who it was.

He sighed in relief and annoyance when he saw that it was just one of Azula's friends, the knife thrower. He still had no clue what her name was but he really didn't care. "Daddy!" Sokka jumped forgetting that he was tied down until he fell back.

"Tao!" He wanted to yell something completely different when he saw who was holding his son. "What the hell do you want?" he hissed at Zuko. "Give me my son and leave!"

Zuko could only look at Sokka, he had no clue what to do. He wanted to tell Sokka the truth desperately but there were people watching that would report it to his sister. His place was so fragile right now, he moved before he even knew what he was doing.

Sokka gasped in surprise as Zuko slapped him. "Do not talk to a prince of the firenation, water peasant," he growled. Sokka bit his lip, he wanted to cry, he wanted to scream and beat the crap out of Zuko but all he could do was stand there like an idiot.

"Daddy!" Tao yelled again reaching for Sokka. Sokka wanted desperately to hold his son but Zuko was too far away and one of his arms was still tied to the bed.

"We just came here to tell you that we will be returning to the firenation soon, hope you like boats," the girl next to Zuko said emotionlessly. Zuko nodded before turning and leading the girl out of the room.

"Wait!" Sokka yelled pulling as hard as he could against the restraints, "Let me at least hold him," he begged watching helplessly as his son tried to reach towards him.

"You saw him, that should more then enough," Zuko answered before leaving the room and not looking back.

xxxxxxx

Zuko tried to comfort Tao who was still fighting to get out of his arms. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" he sobbed the tears streaking down his face.

"You will see him soon, calm down," Zuko tried to comfort but nothing worked. The child was inconsolable.

Finally after about an hour Tao tired himself out and fell asleep in Zuko's arms. Zuko fell against the wall of his room, exhausted from trying to keep ahold of the kid. "So are you going to tell me what is really going on?" Mai asked sitting down across from him.

"I don't know what you mean," Zuko lied.

Mai shook her head in annoyance, "The Zuko that left the firenation years ago loved me, he would never have given a crap about some random enemy's kid, he wouldn't have gotten in trouble for getting to close to a male prisoner..."

"What the hell are you hinting at?" Zuko yelled, scared at where this conversation was going.

"I'm saying there is something that changed you and I want to know what it is! I deserve at least that, don't you think?" Zuko frowned, he did not want to tell her, especially now that he was so close to getting everything back! "Zuko!"

"I love Sokka!"


	31. Chapter 31

Mai just looked at Zuko, she could not believe what she had just heard. "Z-zuko screwing some guys brains out and love are two very different..."

"Shut up!" Zuko hissed dangerously. Mai gasped in surprise, Zuko never talked to her like that, even during their fights. "Don't talk about him like that, ever," he warned her dangerously.

"Zuko I am not trying be mean but you have to think about what this means. You just got back into the firenation's good graces and now you want to run off with some water peasant that already has a bastard son? Azula will kill you...or him!" she pleaded with him.

"I know, that's why no one can know about this. If my father or sister ever knows they will kill Sokka and...and..I could just never do that." Mai watched in disbelief as Zuko stood and started pacing the room. She couldn't believe it, Zuko had fallen in love with the best friend of the avatar.

xxxxxx

Sokka followed the two Dai Lee soldiers begrudgingly, he had already tried to run and only ended up getting a black eye from hitting the floor. "Where are we going?" he growled trying to figure out where they were at.

"You talk a lot for a prisoner," a cold voice scolded him. Sokka looked up surprise to see the knife thrower walking towards him. "But if you must know we are returning to the firenation, Azula decided to bring you along."

Sokka's jaw dropped, he could deal with being a prisoner, he had done it before, but he couldn't go to the firenation, not alone. He cringed at the thought, he was going to die.

"Hope you like boats," she smiled darkly before walking away. Sokka gasped as one of the soldiers slammed a rock hand into the back of his head and everything went black.

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Sokka's eyes slowly opened, he was in the cell of a ship, his arms chained to the wall. He cringed as the back of his head started aching again. The Dai Lee really were a bunch of bastards.

He tried to listen, if the ship was still docked he might have a chance of escape but if they were already out of port he was stuck here until they arrived at the firenation. He groaned as he felt the ship rock as the waves broke against it, they were out at sea.

"Damn!" he screamed in anger slamming his fist into the wall. This was worse then being on Zhao's ship, there he had known that Tao was safe and he had an ally. Now Aang was dead, he had no clue where Tao was, and Zuko was a backstabbing bastard.

Aang was dead, everything seemed to fade away as he remembered the lightning blot going through the twelve year old's chest making him fall until Katara caught him. Everything was over, they would lose the war when the comet came, everything they had worked so hard far had been lost.

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Zuko looked at to sea as the ship flew over the water. He was finally going home. "You know brother, most people would be happy to come home after being away for so long," Azula drawled.

Zuko rolled his eyes, he really didn't want to deal with her right now. "I'm just worried about what father will think," he lied. He didn't give a damn about that sadistic bastard, he wanted to run below decks and hold Sokka. Tell him that it had all been for him, that he didn't know Aang would get to hurt but instead he was here dealing with his sister.

"Don't worry, we will win the war because of what happened, I doubt he will care that you did not return with the avatar alive." Zuko nodded trying to look grateful for his sister's words. "He will be even happier when he can make an example out of one of the avatar's closest friends."

Zuko paled at the thought, Ozai was even worse then Azula. There was no telling what he would do to Sokka to make sure that no one tried to rebel against him again. "Is something wrong?" Azula asked noticing his reaction.

"Nothing, I have to go see Mai." Zuko walked away from her not wanting to hear whatever else his sister was going to say. He walked belowdecks looking for Mai, he needed her advice.

Of course he couldn't find her. He took a deep breath as he made up his mind, he had to do it now before common sense took over him again. He walked further into the hull of the ship until he came to the door that he knew Sokka was behind.

His hands were shaking as he placed the key into the locked and turned it. He bit his lip as he turned the handle and could finally see behind the door. He wanted to cry when he saw how Sokka was being kept, the room was wet and dark with no light, Sokka was chained to the wall barely able to move. They had been on the ship for less then two days and Sokka had already rubbed both wrists raw. He looked pale as if he hadn't eaten anything in days.

"Sokka," he breathed walking closer to him. Sokka's eyes fluttered for a second before he realized that it was Zuko standing next to him. "Sokka, I am so sorry," Zuko cried wrapping his arms around Sokka's neck. Zuko was surprised that Sokka went completely rigid as soon as Zuko had touched him. "Sokka?"

"Am I allowed to speak now?" he hissed dangerously. Zuko fell back as if Sokka had slapped him, he really wished Sokka had slapped him instead.

"Sokka, I didn't mean what I said back there. I had to keep a certain image, I just got my position back..."

"Good for you, you are returning to the man that hated you so much he scarred you." Zuko had never heard Sokka speak like this, not even when he was talking about Jet. "So the happy little prince gets to return home, thats how the story is supposed to end, isn't it?"

"Sokka, please stop!" Zuko begged.

"What? I'm a prisoner, aren't I? Make me!" Zuko bit his lip, this was not how he thought this would go. He didn't know how he could make Sokka understand. "Just leave! I was a fool to think you ever cared about me" Sokka cried looking away to hide the tears running down his face.

"Sokka..."

"Get out!" he screamed. He no longer wanted to hear any of Zuko's lies, he wanted Zuko to leave. Zuko slowly stood up, he didn't know what else to do but to leave. He shut the door behind him, wincing when the lock slammed back into place.

He slowly walked up the stairs, he had been an idiot to think Sokka would forgive him so easily. Zuko was still deep in thought when Mai fell in step next to him. "How did it go?" she asked already seeing that the answer would not be a good one.

"He hates me, he won't even listen to what I am trying to tell him," Zuko sighed falling against a wall. "I don't even know what I am going to do when we get back to the firenation, what if I can't protect him?"

Mai wrapped her arms around his neck, "You tried, but what can you do if he won't give you a second chance?"

"He did give me a second chance, I think I'm on my fifth chance by now," Zuko grumbled. Mai bit her lip, she no longer knew what to say to her best-friend to make him feel any better.

"Aw how adorable," Azula cooed walking up to the two of them. "I don't mean to mess up this adorable moment but I need to talk to Zuzu." Mai smiled reassuringly as she pecked Zuko on the lips really quick before walking away from the two siblings.

Zuko looked back at his sister wishing that she would just go away. "What do you want?" he growled.

"You to stop seeing that prisoner."

"What?"

"We have been on the ship for two days and you have already gone to see him. As the prince of the firenation you should know better then that!"

"Are you having me watched or something?" he growled.

"You were gone for so long I didn't know where you loyalties lay, so yes, I did. If you continue what you're doing some may question where they do lie."

Zuko was fuming, he had given up the one thing he cared about to return and she was questioning who he was loyal to? "I am loyal to the firenation and it's cause, nothing else," he growled before storming off.

Azula watched as her brother walked away, he always got so angry so quickly. She smirked as she turned and walked away. Her brother was so easy to read and he had made her job that much easier.

Azula walked down the stairs to where she knew the cells lay. She would have to teach her brother a lesson to make sure he understood why he could never betray them. She opened the door and smiled when she saw Sokka laying on the floor.

"I told you to leave me alone, Zuko!" he snarled before looking up.

"Oh, but I'm not Zuko," she laughed closing the door behind her.

**I got so many more reviews then I usually do! Thank you! So here is the next chapter and its kinda a cliff hanger, sorry. I know cliff hangers are like the devil but the more reviews I get the faster I will update so you know what will happen with Sokka and Azula. **


	32. Chapter 32

Zuko walked down the steps towards the holding cells, he had to see Sokka again. Maybe he had even calmed down a little. Zuko frowned, there was no way Sokka would calm down until he was free again. Zuko sighed as he opened the door to the cell expecting the yelling to start instantly. Zuko looked up wondering what was wrong and gasped when he realized that the cell was empty.

"Azula!" he snarled running back up the stairs. There were so many things she could have done to him in the last 24 hours that he hadn't seen either of them. He slammed into the door that lead to Azula's room as hard as he could. "Azula open the fucking door!"

"What do you need, brother?" Azula growled finally opening the door.

"What the hell did you do to him?"

"Him? You will have to be a little more specific," she drawled. All Zuko wanted to do was smash his burning fist into her face but he held back.

"Sokka! The prisoner!" he snarled breathing fire out of his nostrils.

"Oh,him," she sniffed. "I moved him," she shrugged.

"I figured that! Where the hell did you move him to?"

"You don't need to know that."

"Azula!"

"Zuko stop it, you just got your title back and maybe you forgot how we act in the firenation but we do scream about prisoners that are disposable." Zuko bit his lip as he tried to calm down. His sister was right, if he kept acting like this Azula would never let him see Sokka again.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to lash out like that." Azula smiled as she saw that her brother was starting to listen. "Just tell me where he is!"

"No!" Azula slammed the door in his face leaving him fuming on the other side. 'I have to find him!' he thought running down the hall trying to find someone else that might know where Sokka was.

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Sokka tried to stand up but fell over. The bastard Dai Lee had broken his ribs on Azula's command. He fell back and screamed as the burns hit the hard metal. Azula had told him to stay away from Zuko, as if that was something he could control in this hell-hole of a prison.

"_My brother no longer wants you! If you try to start anything with him again I will kill you and your son," she hissed dangerously. _

"_I hate that bastard!" Sokka yelled. Azula just laughed before the blue flames jumped to her hands and flew into him again. He screamed in pain and surprise as the skin across his abdomen burned. _

"_You should know your place but don't worry, you can learn with the rest of your loathsome people after we take over the world." _

"_They will never surrender to you!" _

_Azula laughed as she tipped Sokka's jaw up to her, "If they don't they will die, just like you." _

Sokka shivered at the memory, he was really going to die when they got back to the firenation. From all the rumors that he had heard of Ozai his death was going to be a long and painful one.

He slammed his head into the wall as the tears streaked down his face. After he was dead what would they do to Tao? Zuko would help him until something else came up then he would just throw Tao out, like he had done to Sokka.

Sokka couldn't believe that he had trusted Zuko, the guy that hunted down his friends for so long, had betrayed him so many times. He had trusted Zuko enough to let him...Sokka sobbed as the memories of Zuko's touches ran up and down his body.

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Zuko sat down at the table next to Mai, Azula and Ty Lee were still out on the deck training. "Has Azula told you where she moved Sokka to?" he asked quietly making sure none of the soldiers around them heard.

Mai nodded slowly, "Yes, I am the one that will bring him his food."

"Tell me where he is then!" Mai slowly shook her head. Azula had been right, if Zuko didn't stop acting like this he would lose everything that he had just regained. "Mai please! I need to know where he is!" Zuko begged.

Mai bit her lip, she wanted Zuko to be happy but what if what she was doing was wrong? "I-I can't..."

"Mai!"

"Zuko, you don't know what is best for you!"

"Best for me? For once in my life I am thinking about what is best for someone else!" Mai shook her head, he would have to get over Sokka and if this was the only way then so be it.

"Fine!" he growled standing up. He would find Sokka on his own, he had to get to him before they docked in the firenation the next day. If Zuko didn't find him before then Azula could hide him where Zuko would never find him again.

xxxxxx

Mai walked into the room Sokka was being kept in. It was a secret room that Azula had built special for prisoners that would be tortured, it was sound proof and hidden deep in the ship. No matter how hard Zuko looked he would never find the water peasant again.

She sighed as she opened the door and set the water in front of him. Azula had decided he wasn't good enough for food, he would just get water until they arrived and Ozai decided what to do with him.

She set the cup in front of the limp body and cringed when she saw how bad the wounds really were. She was a warrior that liked to fight but this just made her sick. He really hadn't deserved it.

She turned on her heel as she started to walk back out. There was nothing that she could do, if she told Zuko it would just be worse for the both of them. "Hey," Sokka rasped. Mai slowly turned back around. "Where's Tao?"

"He's safe, I will take care of him no matter what," she promised softly before walking out of the room. She could not believe she had said that, there was just something about him that had made her want to help him.

She quickly shut the door and walked towards her room. She really wanted to lay down right now. She stopped when she heard what sounded like singing coming from one of the rooms.

She slowly slid the door open and smiled when she saw Zuko gently rocking Tao in his arms singing a lullaby that every firenation child knew. "Sweet dreams," he whispered before placing the toddler on the bed and covering him with a blanket.

"You're really good with him," Mai smiled watching the two of them.

"Somebody has to be, since he can't see his father," he growled not even looking at her. She sighed sadly as she closed the door behind her. She was starting to know how Zuko felt when Sokka wouldn't talk to him.

"I am really sorry! Please don't be mad at me!" she begged grabbing Zuko's arm.

Zuko finally turned, his eyes burning with fire. "Mai what do you want?" he growled. It was the first time that Mai had really seen the resemblance between him and Azula, it made her shiver as she took a step back.

"I want us to be friends like we were before you left!"

"Before I left we told each other everything and you weren't scared to ignore what Azula said,"

"What if what she said was true?" Zuko glared at her, the flames on his hands slowly lighting up.

"She was wrong! Get the hell out of my room!" he yelled slamming the door as she stepped out of it. She cringed as the bolt of the door slammed into place. She had really screwed up this time.

**Sorry this one is so short but I am trying to get them out as quickly as possible. next chapter they are finally going to reach the Firenation and FINALLY Ozai and Iroh will be in the story! Please review, the more I get the faster I write!**


	33. Chapter 33

Zuko straightened his formal wear as he walked down the hall. He took one last look at himself before he opened the door into the throne room and walked towards his father. "Zuko, you have finally come home." Zuko tried to hide the shiver that ran up his spine from his father's booming voice. "You have restored your own honor by killing the avatar and capturing one of his friends."

"I am honored by your words, father," he kneeled, his forehead nearly resting on the ground.

"Zuko, you are my son again. You don't need to bow," Ozai laughed standing up and walking towards him. "You are a prince of the firenation!"

"Father as prince may I ask to be the one to punish the captive? I was the one that captured him." Zuko couldn't believe that he was saying this, so soon after his father had accepted him back.

Ozai laughed as he set his hand on Zuko's shoulder, "I have to wonder what you have in mind?"

"My personnel servant." Ozai raised an eyebrow curiously, his smile slowly starting to fall. "Just think about it, he helped the avatar, his life was committed to stopping this royal family and after I kill the avatar he has to serve me! Think of the message that would send!"

Ozai laughed as he patted his son on the shoulder, "I was starting to think that all that time with your uncle had made you soft but I am glad to see you are still the son I raised!"

Zuko bit his lip as he tried to control his anger. He was not the son his _father_ had raised. He was the man that Ursa and Iroh had always hoped for. "Speaking of uncle, do you know whatever happened to him?" Zuko asked quietly.

"That traitor got what he deserved, he is rotting in prison. I would have executed him for his treachery but I am waiting to do that until after the war. Show him the glory he lost because of his foolishness."

"Thank you, father," Zuko bowed slightly before walking out of the room. That had gone better then he could have ever expected, hopefully the same could be said of his next meeting with Sokka.

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Sokka was surprised when an annoyed guard fetched him from his hell-hole prison. He slowly stood up but crashed before he could stand fully. He hadn't used his legs in so long they felt almost useless. He growled as the guards around him laughed.

"Come on!" one growled grabbing him by his hair and lifting him up, "Firelord Ozai has decided on your punishment." The smile on the soldiers face made Sokka shiver. Whatever was going to happen to him, it wasn't going to be pleasant.

Sokka shivered as he was thrown into a pool of water, his clothes thrown away. "What the hell is going on?" he yelled as one of the soldiers poured water over him.

"You can not be presented to the royal prince in that filth," another growled. Sokka didn't know what to say as he was dressed in firenation clothes and dragged down a hall. Zuko was the only prince but why the hell would Sokka be presented to him?

The guard stopped outside a large door and knocked. Sokka followed as they entered, he growled as one shoved him onto his knees. "The prisoner has been prepared," he reported before bowing and walking out of the room.

Sokka looked up to see Zuko standing in front of him. "So what is my punishment going to be?" Sokka asked darkly, his eyes dropping back to the floor.

"You are to be my servant, showing anybody that might think to rebel that even the highest can fall so low," he answered quietly. Sokka shut his eyes trying to hide the tears, this wasn't what he wanted! He didn't want to have to serve this bastard!

It had been so many years since he had wanted his mother to hug him and tell him everything would be alright, but he knew right now nothing was alright.

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Sokka kneeled on a pillow as he watched the royal teens eat dinner. He could tell that Ty Lee and Azula were the two talking right now but he could not pay attention to what they were saying.

"You know Zuko, you shouldn't have brought your new pet to the dinner table," Azula drawled looking down at Sokka.

"He couldn't leave him alone, some of the guards seem to like him a little too much," Ty lee giggled. Sokka shivered, he had noticed some weird looks coming from the soldiers but he had thought it was just his paranoia playing tricks on him again.

"Oh wouldn't Zuko be disappointed if his new pet got broken in by someone else?" Azula laughed.

"Azula, thats not funny," Zuko growled, his fists curling up in anger. "I do not have that kind of relationship with any of my servants, and I am insulted that you would insinuate anything of the sort."

"Yeah, he only wants Mai!" Ty Lee giggled. Mai turned a bright red , trying to take a drink of water and hide her face behind her sleeve. Azula just laughed as she watched all of this. Her eyes fell on Sokka and they had a threatening edge. Sokka looked away not knowing what she would do to him or Tao.

"I am sorry but I think I will retire early." Zuko slowly stood up and motioned for Sokka to follow him. Sokka didn't do anything for a second but gasped as Zuko grabbed his collar and pulled him along.

Sokka followed him down the hall and into the prince's room where he now stayed. "Please Sokka, I hate that look on you," Zuko whispered pinning Sokka against the wall.

"No..." Sokka whispered, barely able to breathe.

"I love you Sokka!" Zuko kissed Sokka on the lips, he had waited so long and could no longer control himself. "I want you," he growled tearing away at the robes that guards had dressed him in.

"No!" Sokka screamed falling to the ground. Zuko stopped falling to his knees as he watched Sokka sob.

"Sokka..." Zuko grabbed his shoulders trying to make him listen.

"Don't touch me!" Sokka threw himself away from Zuko making the prince fall back in surprise. "I don't want you! Please don't touch me!"

"Sokka, I told you before, I am nothing like him."

"You said that when I trusted you, when I thought I loved you! You have shown that you are exactly like him!"

"If I am exactly like him I wouldn't have stopped! Do you know how much I want you and how easily I could have you? Nobody would stop me! Nobody would care what I did to you!"

"What am I supposed to say? Thank you for not raping me? Am I supposed to trust you now too?"

Zuko shoved Sokka against the wall making the smaller teen start to shake in fear. "You are supposed to not be an idiot and see that I am the best thing that could ever have happened to you!"

Sokka shook his head, he had been so wrong. How could he have ever trusted Zuko, now the prince was showing who he really was and Sokka hated it. Zuko glared at him for another second before walking away. Sokka fell to the ground sobbing, he didn't know if it was from the fear or betrayal all he knew was he couldn't stop.

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Sokka shivered as he tried to fall asleep on the floor. Zuko had said he could share his bed or sleep on the floor, Sokka had chosen the floor. Zuko hadn't said anything trying to ignore him, Sokka did the same.

He couldn't fall asleep, it was supposed to be summer but in the room it was freezing. He couldn't stop shivering, he bit his teeth together to make sure that they wouldn't clatter. He would not give Zuko the satisfaction.

Sokka could hear Zuko moving around behind him, he closed his eyes and tried to feign sleep. He was surprised when he felt a blanket dropped over him. "You really are stubborn," Zuko whispered before walking back to his own bed and lying down.

Sokka closed his eyes and finally fell asleep with the smell of Zuko swimming through his head.

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Zuko quickly pulled on his royal robes and smiled when he saw Sokka was still sleeping. He quietly walked over and kissed the teen on the forehead, when Sokka was asleep was the only time Zuko could get close to him lately.

He sighed when he remembered the night before, he had seriously screwed up. He straightened up and walked out of the room, he had a meeting to attend and would return later to see if Sokka was awake.

He walked into the meeting hall, the same one that he had spoken out in so many years before. He smiled as he sat down in the seat next to his father, he had wanted this for so many years. Despite everything else this felt so right.

"Sir, we are having issues in the earth kingdom, uprisings keep appearing no matter how many times they are silenced!"

"They are proud people, they will not surrender," Zuko said.

"Then we have to destroy them so they have no other choice," Azula hissed. "Burn their lands and the people on them, they will surrender or die."

Zuko tried to hide his horror, all the people that he had met and that had helped him flashed through his mind. "Father, I do not think that..."

"Zuko, I agree with the plan," his father cut off not allowing him to finish. Zuko nodded, he could say nothing more, he knew that.

Finally the meeting was over and Zuko was allowed to leave. He wanted Sokka more then ever right now, even if that meant only being able to see him.

Sokka slowly picked up one of the plates that had been left in the room. He figured it had been left by Zuko but his stomach growled so loudly he didn't care. He jumped when he heard the door slam open and dropped the plate.

"Sokka are you okay?" Zuko asked rushing to his side.

"Fine," Sokka growled not looking him in the face.

Zuko frowned, Sokka was still pissed at him because of last night. "Sokka please look at me," Sokka turned not wanting to start another fight, "I am truly sorry, I know I can be an arrogant ass hole sometimes, you've even told me that I was before, please don't let that be the reason you hate me!"

"I didn't think I was allowed to hate you, Prince Zuko," Sokka snarled before turning back to the plate that he had dropped. Zuko sighed, this was not going well. "Where is Tao?" Zuko looked up, not sure he had heard the small whisper.

"He is with Mai, we can go see him if you want!" Zuko smiled hoping that this might be his way to make Sokka see that he really wasn't a monster. Sokka nodded, he would give anything to make sure that his baby boy was okay.

The two of them walked down the hall, Sokka guessed that Mai must have a room in the castle or something. Sokka was surprised at how Zuko seemed to act different when there was someone actually watching or when he was out in public.

They stopped in front of a door and Zuko knocked. It was a second before a servant opened the door and allowed them in. Mai looked up and smiled when she saw Zuko, "How are you?" she asked wrapping her arms around him kissing him on the cheek. She stopped when she saw Sokka, "You can go into that room," she growled.

Sokka was surprised at the tone but slowly walked to the room that Mai had told him. He stopped in the doorway when he saw Tao playing with a small toy. He ran to his son and cuddled him in his arms. "Daddy!" Tao cried hugging Sokka.

"Hey sweetie," Sokka whispered.

Mai laid her head on Zuko's shoulder, "Is he doing any better?" she whispered. They both knew the servants served Ozai and Azula and would tell them anything they saw or heard meaning the two of them had to be careful.

"No, he is still pissed at me, last night I really screwed up," he whispered back. She nodded slowly and looked into the room where Sokka was still with his son. She loved Zuko, there was no way she could deny that, she wanted to see him happy even if it wasn't with her.

"What did you do?"

"I-I nearly...forced..."

"I see," she said not cruel enough to make him finish. The two of them looked up as they heard a knock on their door. Mai let go of Zuko when she saw Azula enter the room.

"What are you doing here, we're busy," Zuko growled. Azula smiled as she turned towards Mai. "Ty Lee needs you, something about her braids being tangled."

Mai bit her lip but slowly walked towards the door, she knew when she was being dismissed. Zuko watched her go before turning back to his sister. "What do you want?" he growled.

"Well I have noticed that Mai has been taking care of that little bastard child," she motioned to Sokka sitting in the other room, "and I was thinking that I should take care of him."

"What?" Zuko knew that his sister would never willingly take care of a child, especially a waternation one. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Oh come on Zuzu, I don't have to explain everything to you," she laughed before walking into the other room. Zuko fell back into a chair, Sokka would be pissed and Tao would be in danger.

Sokka smiled as Tao slowly fell asleep in his arms, curling into his chest. "Hello," Sokka jumped when he heard the cold voice.

"Azula..."

"Princess Azula to you," she hissed walking over to him.

"P-princess Azula, what are you doing here?" he stammered.

Azula smiled as she crouched down next to him, "I am here because I decided I want to take care of Tao," she purred.

"What? Why?" Sokka jumped back. "I-I haven't done anything! Why do you want to take Tao?"

"Why don't we just call it extra motivation for you."

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**Cliffhanger? Maybe? Anyway, yes in the beginning I made Zuko a jerk because we all know it takes him a long time to figure it out. hehe I hope you like this and because last chapter was so short I made this one longer! Please review and tell me what you think!**


	34. Chapter 34

Zuko watched as Azula walked out of the room with Tao in her arms. He waited for another minute before he sighed and walked into the room Sokka was still in. It scared Zuko how pale Sokka had become, he was staring at the ground, his eyes completely blank.

"Sokka..." Zuko touched his shoulder lightly.

"Get away from me!" Sokka snarled smacking Zuko's hand away. Zuko fell back not knowing what to say, there was nothing he could say to make this better. "This is all your fault!"

"What? How is this my fault?" Zuko growled. Sokka shook his head as he slowly started to stand up. "Don't ignore me! Tell me how is this my fault?" he growled starting to get annoyed.

"Why couldn't you have just left me alone! Azula wouldn't be holding Tao hostage if I wasn't your _personnel servant_!" he screamed punching Zuko in the face.

Zuko fell back, holding his lip that was now bleeding. He couldn't believe what Sokka was saying, Azula must have done something when he was missing those days on the ship. "What did Azula do?" he asked trying to not piss Sokka off anymore then he already was.

"Like you care!" he growled walking away. Zuko shook his head, his sister made everything worse!

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Azula smiled as she set the kid onto a bed. Zuko would be pissed, especially if Sokka told him what she had said, he would blow, like he always did, and get disowned, again. She hated having an older brother, because he was older he would get the thrown by birthright but if he got disowned or killed it would be all hers.

She smiled as she walked over and looked down at the toddler, Agni had really made this so easy for her.

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Zuko followed Sokka as they walked back to his room. Zuko wanted answers and he didn't care what he had to do to get them. After they were both in the room Zuko locked the door, he didn't want anybody disturbing them.

Sokka looked up when he heard Zuko lock the door, what the hell was he planning? He stood up to ask him when Zuko shoved him onto the bed. "What the hell are you doing?" Sokka yelled.

"What the hell did you mean that this was all my fault!" Zuko yelled.

"Get off me!" Sokka screamed slamming a fist into Zuko's stomach. Zuko growled, as he fell back. Sokka ran to the door trying to unlock it. Zuko grabbed him around the waist and threw him to the ground. He was sick of this. He stopped when he saw the tears running down Sokka's face.

"What did she do to you?" he whispered. Sokka yelped when Zuko held down his shoulder. Zuko bit his lip, he wanted to know what was wrong. He grabbed the shoulder of Sokka's robe and pulled it down.

"Stop! Don't touch me!" he screamed trying to get out from under Zuko.

"If you won't tell me this is what I have to do!" Zuko growled finally revealing all of Sokka's torso and his arms. What Zuko saw made his hands start to heat up in anger. "She did this to you?" he asked pointing at the bandages that covered his abdomen and arms.

Sokka nodded, "And the Dai Lee."

"Why?"

"It was a warning, she told me to stay away from you," he admitted quietly. Zuko sat back finally releasing Sokka from his grasp. Sokka quickly pulled the robe back on to hide himself.

"Is that why you have been so cold to me?" Zuko asked hopefully. He was surprised by the fist that came flying into his mouth making him fall back hard. "What the hell?"

"You betrayed me,used me, got Aang killed, captured me, and turned me into a slave and you think Azula is the reason I hate you? Are you really that much of an idiot?" he yelled angrily.

"I never used you," Zuko tried to defend himself weakly. Sokka glared at him as he tried to stand up, his ribs were still pounding from Zuko grabbing him. "This was not what I wanted."

"You wanted to be a prince again, and you got it!"

"That changed! I want you! I don't care about anything else!" Sokka shook his head, he had heard this so many times and every time he wanted to believe it. How could he though, Zuko was a monster he had showed that too many times.

"Would you just leave me alone?" Zuko didn't know what to say. Sokka had really given up on him this time. There was nothing that he could do to make it any better.

He walked out of the room and locked it behind him, he didn't know what would happen if he left Sokka alone. He walked out of the castle trying to figure out what he should do, he seriously needed advice.

Zuko stopped and looked around, without him noticing he had walked to where his uncle was being held. He smiled humorlessly as he opened the door that would allow him into the prison. If anyone could give him advice it would be Iroh.

"No one is allowed in here!" one of the guards yelled at him.

He threw the guard into the wall, "No one will know I am here, right?" he growled threateningly. The guard nodded desperately when he realized who the man was. Zuko dropped the guard and continued walking to the cell that Iroh was being held in.

Iroh looked up as his nephew walked into the light and sat down in front of his cage. "Hello uncle," he whispered quietly. Iroh didn't respond, if Zuko was back here then nothing he had ever said meant anything to him. "Uncle I need your help please talk to me!" Zuko begged desperately.

Iroh stayed silent as he Zuko dropped his head. "Sokka won't talk to me! He hates me and all I ever wanted to do was protect him!"

"Sokka is here?" Iroh asked finally breaking his silence.

"Yes, as is Tao, he's with Azula."

"That little boy is with your sister?" Iroh asked a look of horror on his face. Zuko nodded again, he hated to admit to his uncle how weak he was compared to his sister. "You need to get them out of here!"

"What?" Zuko screamed horrified at what his uncle was telling him.

"If you care for Sokka as much as you say you do, then get him out of here! He has nothing here and you know as well as I that sooner or later he will be taken away from you. To become a toy for some higher-up or just killed, either way he will not have a long life here!"

Zuko nodded, his uncle was right. His uncle was always right. "How do I get out of here? Father has accepted me but he will not just let me leave with some servant! Father and Azula will try to stop us!"

"Go in three days, there will be a solar eclipse and no one will be able to firebend. Take your swords and the two of them and run!"

"What about you?"

"I am the dragon of the west! No cage can hold me!" he boasted loudly. Zuko smiled, he knew his uncle would be alright so all he had to do now was take care of Sokka and Tao.

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Zuko walked into the room and smiled when he saw that Sokka was asleep. He ran to his closet and grabbed the burn medication. From what he had seen before Azula had done nothing to try and heal them and they were starting to get infected.

He frowned when he saw that Sokka was on the floor again and had shoved the blanket away. He could be stubborn sometimes but why couldn't he take something as simple as a blanket to make sure he didn't get sick?

Zuko shook his head as he carefully removed the top half of the robe. If Sokka woke up now Zuko would get another bloody lip and he could only explain so many. He grimaced when he saw the first few burns, Azula could really be a monster.

Zuko gently rubbed some of the medicine into the top burns before he moved lower on the body. Sokka's eyes shot open and he just stared at Zuko for a second before jumping away from the other teen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" Sokka screamed wrapping his robe back around him.

"I have to make sure you don't get any infections! Those burns are bad!" Zuko growled. Why did this remind him so much of the first time Sokka had gotten burned in his care?

"Why? Don't want your manservant to die on you? I'm sure you can just get another!" Sokka snarled dangerously. Zuko just shook his head, this was not working and he was running out of patience fast.

He grabbed the front of Sokka's robe forcing the other boy to stop running away from him. "We are leaving and I can't have you getting sick," he growled, "So get the robe off and let me help you, you damn idiot!"

"Leaving?" Sokka didn't like the sound of that. Where were they going? Was Azula and her friends coming? Was Tao? All the questions made Sokka's head start swimming. He didn't know which to ask first.

"Yeah, I know you hate it here, in three days there will be a solar eclipse and we are escaping then. No one will be able to stop us, I have my swords and I will get you a weapon too," Zuko explained as patiently as he could.

"Tao?"

"I'll worry about him, Azula is almost defenseless without her bending, that should be easy."

"Thank you," Sokka whispered quietly. Zuko smiled, finally he had done something right.

"Now come on, you won't be able to walk if those burns get infected," he said pulling at the sleeve of the robe. Sokka bit his lip and looked at the ground, Zuko could tell that he was really starting to freak out. "Sokka, I won't do anything, I just want to make sure you're healthy. I have proven that so far, right?"

Sokka nodded slowly as he removed the top half of his robe. Zuko smiled to himself as he started to cover the wounds once again, Sokka was finally starting to trust him at least a little.

Sokka squirmed under Zuko's touch, it felt good but it shouldn't! He hated Zuko, he shouldn't want his hands anywhere on him. He gasped when one hand slipped onto his thigh. "Sorry, this burn went low," Zuko said quietly, quickly moving his hand away.

Suddenly Sokka grabbed the back of Zuko's head and forced their lips together. He had no clue what took over him but right now all he wanted was Zuko's mouth all over him. Zuko fell back from the force of Sokka's unexpected attack, suddenly Sokka was on top of him, straddling him.

Zuko had no idea what was going on, but he wasn't about to start complaining. Sokka bit his lower lip making Zuko gasp in surprise, as soon as his mouth was open Sokka's tongue entered licking every crevice it could find. Zuko loved the taste of them together, he never wanted this to end.

Sokka pulled away gasping for breath, he had forgotten how much he loved doing this with Zuko. "Does this mean I am forgiven?" Zuko asked huskily.

"No," Sokka growled shoving him back onto the floor and capturing his lips again. Zuko was a long way from being forgiven but right now Sokka wanted him.

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Zuko rolled over in his bed and reached to wrap Sokka in an embrace but stopped when all he felt was air. He sat up and looked around the room wondering where Sokka could have gone, it wasn't like he would just leave the room.

He flinched when he heard Sokka in the bathroom emptying his stomach. He stood up and walked over to make sure that the other teen was alright. He stopped when he saw how depressed and tired Sokka looked.

Was this because of last night?

_Sokka shoved Zuko down on the bed and pulled off his robe. Zuko moved to pull the rest of Sokka's robe off too but Sokka pinned his hands above his heads, "Not yet," he whispered seductively. _

_Zuko smiled, he had never seen this side of Sokka before. Sokka lifted Zuko's legs and placed his length at Zuko's entrance. Zuko shivered with anticipation, they had never done it like this before. _

_Sokka didn't wait before he thrust into Zuko hard. Zuko screamed with ecstasy at the feeling of Sokka inside of him. _

Zuko kneeled down next to Sokka and tried to gently wipe away the sweat that was covering his face. "Get away from me," Sokka growled shoving Zuko.

"Stop that, I am only trying to help you!" Zuko snarled.

Sokka shook his head before emptying more of his stomach. "Don't think that because of last night I forgave you, I just needed somebody to control and you were there," he hissed.

Zuko couldn't believe what he was hearing, that was not like Sokka. "I don't believe you," he whispered.

"I don't care what you believe, its the truth!" he growled. Zuko caught his hand just before he could punch him in the face. Sokka glared at Zuko trying to get his wrist out of the tight grasp.

Zuko pulled Sokka down so that his head was resting on Zuko's chest, "You aren't like that Sokka, you don't use people," he whispered running his fingers through the loose hair.

Zuko pulled Sokka closer to him when he felt the tears on his chest. Sokka clung to Zuko, he needed to stop shaking and the only warm thing was Zuko. He hated showing this kind of weakness but right now it almost felt like he was actually safe.

"I'm scared," Sokka whispered into Zuko's chest.

"Don't be, we will get out of here, no matter what," Zuko promised kissing him on the forehead.

"That's not why I'm scared." Zuko looked down at Sokka trying to figure out what he meant.

"Why are you scared?" Sokka shook his head, he couldn't tell Zuko, not now. Zuko just held him there, if Sokka couldn't tell him right now he wouldn't force him. They sat like that for almost an hour, neither of them wanting to move.

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**That was a pretty long chapter, hope you guys like it. I don't know if I made it obvious enough or what so 20 brownie points to the person that can figure out what is wrong with Sokka! If you are guessing and also don't mind telling me what you think I would appreciate it! **


	35. Chapter 35

Azula set Tao down on the bed she had given him. She sighed as she sat down and looked at the kid. She growled as she looked away, if she was starting to care about the damn brat then she was going soft.

She laid down on her own bed and shut her eyes. Tomorrow would be a long day, the day of the solar eclipse. They had gotten word of plans for a rebellion while the firebenders would be without their bending. She smiled as she fell asleep, there was no way her nation would fall from such a cheap trick of an idea.

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"Watch him!" she commanded a servant before walking out of the room. She could hear the servant answering with something but she didn't care. The only thing she was worried about right now was making her father's plans go as they were supposed to.

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"Why aren't we waiting until they can't bend?" Sokka asked as he quietly followed Zuko towards Azula's room.

"Because the eclipse is only about seven minutes, we need to use that time as best as possible," he explained quietly irritated. Sokka nodded as they made their way to Azula's room.

Zuko stopped outside a large door that looked almost identical to his. He knew that Azula always left only a few minutes after the sun rose meaning she would not be in here, he just prayed to Agni that she hadn't taken Tao with her. That could make it almost impossible to find them before the eclipse ended and they would be trapped again.

He opened the door and was surprised to see that Tao was still here but there was a servant still with him. "Princess Azula has ordered that no one enter!" he growled at Zuko.

Zuko lunged at him, not giving a damn about what Azula had ordered. The man shot a stream of fire at him that Zuko easily dodged. His fist connected with the man's face and sent him flying into a wall.

Sokka ran to where Tao was sobbing his head off. The toddler didn't like all the loud nose and wanted his daddy to tell him it would be alright. Sokka held him tightly as he ran towards the door wanting to get the hell out of there.

"Get back here!" the man growled running at Sokka. Sokka yelped as the man grabbed his neck, heating up his hands with flames.

"Let go of me!" Sokka yelled, smashing the hilt of his sword into the man's arm. He yelled in surprise and pain as he dropped Sokka. He took that chance to run and get as far as he could away from the man.

Zuko threw a final blast of flames at him before following Sokka out the door, slamming it and locking it behind them. "Come on," Zuko called as he ran down a hallway Sokka had never seen before.

"Where are we going? How the hell are we going to get out of here?" Sokka yelled. He wanted to trust Zuko but something kept making him doubt the other teen.

"The war balloons are this way, it is the fastest way out of here so my father and sister don't have time to stop us," he explained. Sokka nodded as he followed Zuko into what looked like a machine house, there were tanks, war balloons, broken ships, and things that Sokka had never seen before. "Come on," Zuko called as he started to push the basket of the war ballon towards the door.

Sokka helped him until they were outside. Zuko helped Sokka jump in before following him. He thrust his fist at the furnace expecting flame to fly into it and make the balloon rise to the air only nothing happened. "Damn it!" he snarled punching the wall of the basket.

"What's wrong?" asked Sokka, the fear obvious in his shaking voice.

"We needed to get into the air by the time the eclipse happened, no one could shoot us down then, but I took to long and now I can't bend either," he growled.

Sokka couldn't believe what Zuko had just told him. If the man that had been with Tao had told Azula or anybody else about what had happened there was no telling how long they had before more guards would come then they could handle.

"B-but it only lasts 7 minutes, w-we can leave after that right?" Sokka asked desperately.

"If no one stops us before that," Zuko mumbled. Sokka looked at him helplessly, that was not what he wanted to hear.

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Toph ran through the under ground passageways, trying to keep up with Azula. The Dai Lee were making it hard for her to see, the bastards. They had stopped Katara and Aang but when Azula had said she knew where Sokka was she had flown after her.

She no longer cared about finding the firelord, she wanted Sokka. She knew it was stupid and probably a mistake but she was blinded by her want to get Sokka back. Azula stopped running and turned back on Toph. "Time's up," she sneered, her hands heating up with her blue flames.

xxxx

Zuko could feel the power come back to him as the eclipse ended. "Finally!" he cried shooting the flame into the furnace making the balloon fill up with air. Sokka fell as the basket lurched, they were finally leaving the hell-hole behind.

He smiled as he watched the ground beneath them fly past, he was going to see his friends again. He frowned as they passed over the beach, he recognized those things on the shore, he had helped invent them. "Zuko, how did they get those?" Sokka asked stone faced as Zuko looked down.

"Those aren't anything we have, why?" he asked noticing the horrified look on Sokka's face.

"They're here," he whispered barely believing it. They had actually tried an attack when the firebenders were defenseless, did that mean Aang was still alive? Or were they doing this because after Aang's death it was their last hope?"Did you know?" he asked turning to Zuko.

Zuko looked like he didn't want to answer. Sokka was ready to punch him when he sighed, "I heard there were rumors about an attack. I didn't get the details like by who or anything, I didn't even know if the rumors were true!"

Sokka looked down not knowing what to think about what Zuko had just said. "We have to make sure they're safe," he said finally.

"You mean turn around?" Zuko asked unbelievingly. Sokka nodded. "No! I just got you out of there and safe, there is no way I am turning around and endangering you again!" he growled.

"Zuko!"

"I said no!"

xxxx

Toph would not let the tears fall as she felt Appa leave the ground. They had failed, Ozai was still alive and king of the firenation and they hadn't even figured out if Sokka was still alive or not.

She could tell that Katara and Aang felt the same way, all of the people on Appa had fallen completely silent. What was there to say? Most of them had left behind a father or friend, they had lost more then they had gained.

"Where are you Sokka," she mumbled as the wind swept across her face.

xxxx

Sokka was not talking to Zuko right now, he was still angry. "I am sorry, I just couldn't do it," Zuko whispered wishing that Sokka would say something even if it was Sokka yelling at him.

"They were friends, I already lost them once," Sokka mumbled. Zuko nodded, there was no way to respond to that without pissing Sokka off more. Sokka shook his head and laid back down in the basket closing his eyes.

Zuko eyed him warily, he had been sleeping a lot and Zuko had heard him getting sick more and more often. Sokka had not said anything to him and Zuko was worried, maybe it would be better if he was with Katara who was a healer. He sighed as he leaned back in the basket and looked out at the land beneath them.

He gasped when he saw something that he knew immediately. The giant air bison that belonged to the avatar was walking beneath them. The people around it looked tired and defeated, that must mean they had failed. He smiled when he saw something that looked like blue arrows, that must mean the avatar really was alive and Azula had failed!

He turned back to wake up Sokka and tell him what he was seeing but he stopped when he saw Sokka smiling in his sleep. If he told Sokka that his friends were fine and right there would Sokka stay with him?

He wanted to slap himself, he was starting to sound like Azula. He would not be manipulative and force Sokka into staying with him. If Sokka loved him and wanted to be with him, then he would be.

He watched as the group continued to walk, he couldn't tell where they were going because the only thing in front of them was what looked like a giant cannon and beyond that was more nothing. Were they just trying to hide?

He suddenly remembered why this place looked so familiar. There was an airtemple under the rock that had been made to look almost upside down. Zuko had been their with his uncle when they were searching for the avatar.

"Sokka," he said trying to gently wake the other one up.

"What?" Sokka growled groggily. Zuko smiled, he always thought Sokka looked his cutest when he was sleepy like this.

"I-I..." he paused, wondering what Sokka would do when he realized just how close he was to his friends, "know where your friends are..."


	36. Chapter 36

Sokka ran down the steps that lead into the temple. He had found them, they were so close! "Katara! Toph!" he yelled after he had entered the temple trying to find where they had gone.

"Sokka?" Katara asked unbelievingly, walking out of one of the many rooms.

"Sokka!" Toph screamed running at him. Sokka hugged both of the girls as soon as they were in arms reach. "What are you doing here? How did you escape?" she yelled excitedly.

Sokka's turned a bright red as he tried to think of a way to explain. Toph was already out of his arms and running to the stairway that Zuko was still hiding on. "Hey Hot-head get your ass down here! We want to talk to you!" she yelled slamming her fist into the wall and making the stairway almost collapse.

Zuko fell from the trembling stairs landing right in front of the two girls and Sokka. "He helped you escape?" Katara asked with disgust glaring down at Zuko.

"Yeah, but Katara," Sokka said making her look back at him, "what happened to Aang? Did h-he...is he..." Sokka couldn't finish his questions, the words just not coming to his mouth.

"He's fine, no thanks to him," Katara growled at Zuko. "Right now I think he is exploring the temple with Teo and Haru." Sokka smiled, Aang was alright and alive. He hadn't died because Zuko betrayed them in the cave.

"What is he doing here?" Sokka looked up to see the people that they had just been talking about walking down the stairs, Aang did not look happy.

"Good news twinkle toes, we solved the problem of you needing a firebending teacher!" Toph laughed.

"I am not learning from him!" Aang growled, "How do we know we can even trust him?"

"We can't!" Katara growled glaring at him. Zuko did not like the way this conversation was going. He looked to Sokka for help but Sokka wouldn't meet his eyes. Zuko frowned, had Sokka known this would happen? Was that why he was so desperate to be with his friends again? "Just get out of here!" Katara growled throwing him back with a water whip.

Zuko looked at Sokka one more time before turned and walked away, he could have lied to Sokka and kept him all to himself but he had decided against that. Now he would have to deal with the consequences whatever they might be.

xxxxx

Sokka's head was buried in his pillow as he cried. This was not what he wanted, but was it right? Sokka was so confused and there was no one that he could go to for answers! He screamed as he smashed his fist into the bed.

"Wow, the mood swings already started?" Toph asked sitting down on the floor across from the bed. Sokka tried to wipe away the tears to hide that he had been crying then remembered Toph couldn't see them.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he growled.

"Oh yes you do, I can tell you're lying and I can feel _its_ heartbeat." Sokka froze, so she really did know! This was one of the times that he wished she was just a normal blind girl. He hadn't been ready for anybody to know yet. "Does Zuko know?" she asked quietly.

Sokka shook his head, "No, I didn't know if I could trust him," he sighed quietly. Toph nodded sympathetically. She wanted to say that Zuko was a jerk and that Sokka could do better but even though she was blind she could still tell how much the two loved each other.

"Maybe you should talk to him," she suggested quietly.

"And tell him what? I'm pregnant? Again! That I want him to come back even though none of us can trust him?" Sokka knew that even if he did say those things Zuko would come back happily. Or at least the Zuko he thought he knew would be like that.

"If thats what it takes, then yeah," Toph said, her nice side slowly fading and her stubborn side starting to come out. Sokka knew there was no way he was going to win this argument against Toph but he wasn't about to give up.

"Toph..."

"Sokka, get up and go talk to him!" she growled shoving him. "This isn't like with Jet and he has the right to know that he is going to have a kid!"

"Shut up!" Toph stared at him not believing what she had just heard. "Don't tell me what I am supposed to do or what Zuko deserves! Leave me the hell alone!" Sokka stormed out of the room, he couldn't talk about this anymore. He would sleep by the fire tonight.

Toph sighed as she felt the footsteps fall away. This was not how she thought the conversation would end but Sokka was acting different then usual. She couldn't tell if that was a part of the pregnancy or if Sokka really had changed when he was gone for so long. She stood up and walked out of the room, there was only one person that could answer that question for her.

xxxx

Toph could feel that Zuko was nearby as she walked over the top of the temple. It was strange, Sokka and the others had told him to get lost and yet he had stayed so near. Was it because he hoped Sokka would change his mind? Or maybe it was something as simple as he had nowhere else to go?

"Hey Zuko!" she called as she finally found the break in the trees that he was staying in.

"Toph?" he asked standing up, "Is that you? What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you idiot," she laughed. She sat down at the fire that Zuko had created, across from him. "I want you to come back."

"Nobody wants me there, there is no way they will trust me after what I did!" Zuko argued.

Toph glared at him until he fell silent. "They will have to get over that because Aang needs a teacher and Sokka..." she caught herself before she said anything more.

"Sokka? Does he miss me? Did something happen?" Zuko asked his heart pounding with the idea that he actually still had a chance with Sokka.

"Never mind, just come back! she growled standing up. "If you aren't back in the temple by morning I will be forced to come back here and drag your ass all the way down there."

Zuko watched as Toph walked away, a look of knowing on her face. He sat back and stared at the fire. Did Sokka need him? Had something happened? He fall back onto the ground, everything was becoming more and more confusing. To make things worse time was running out before the comet came and everything would be decided.

xxxx

Zuko slowly made his way into the temple. Hopefully Katara didn't wash him off the side of the mountain, she seemed like the most dangerous out of the group right now. He stopped when he saw them, he had never been more scared in his life. He took a deep breath before he continued into the temple.

"What are you doing here?" Katara growled when she saw him.

"I just..."

"Get out of here!" Aang growled. This was going worse then the first time he had tried.

"Please just let me explain!"

Aang and Katara both just glared at him, Zuko didn't see any of it. Sokka had just walked into his view and he looked like hell. Zuko wanted to run to him and help him with whatever was making him so sick. He almost felt like crying, had staying with him done that to him? Maybe it would be better to just get out of here.

"Start talking Zuko before I throw you off the mountain!" Katara growled dangerously.

"Aang needs a firebending teacher, there is no one that you know of other then me! There is no time, your choices are limited!"

Aang's eyes were hard, nothing Zuko had said meant anything to him. "I think we should let him stay." Everybody turned to Sokka, wondering if they had heard correctly. "Aang needs a teacher and Zuko is the best choice," he whispered again.

Zuko smiled, that had to mean that Sokka forgave him or at least was willing to trust him again. "Thank..."

"If you betray us in anyway or try to hurt Aang I will kill you," he growled before turning on his heel and walking away. That was not what Zuko had wanted to hear but he really shouldn't have expected anything else.

Katara and Aang glared at him before walking away too. Zuko sighed as he fell against one of the walls, this was scarier then when he had seen his father. "That went well," Toph smiled leaning against the wall next to him.

"Sokka hates me, he just threatened to kill me!" he growled.

"Yeah, but he was the one who wanted you to stay. Since your here, maybe you could talk to him," she shrugged before walking away.

Zuko sighed as he slowly stood up straight and started walking in the direction he had seen Sokka gone. Hopefully Sokka would want to talk to him and not slam the door in his face.

xxxx

**So only two more chapters are left! I really hope you guys are lovin' this story! Please rate and review I would really appreciate it and will update even faster!**


	37. Chapter 37

Zuko knocked on the door lightly before opening it. He smiled when he saw Sokka on the bed playing with Tao. Tao couldn't stop laughing as he begged Sokka to stop tickling him. Sokka laughed but stopped when he looked up and saw Zuko standing there. "Hey Tao go see Katara," he said setting Tao down on the ground gently. Tao looked back at his father confused but Sokka pointed and nodded.

Zuko smiled and waved as Tao walked past him and out into the hall. After Tao was gone he shut the door behind him. Neither of the two of them said anything, Zuko stared at the ground his feet shuffling awkwardly. Sokka just stared at him waiting for him to do something.

"I missed you, Sokka."

"You were gone for one night," Sokka growled.

"Thats not what I meant, its been different between us ever since we left Ba Sing Se."

"Who's fault is that?" Sokka growled.

"Please I am tired of fighting! Just tell me what I have to do to fix it!" Sokka glared at him, his eyes going hard. Zuko fell on his knees in front of the bed Sokka was sitting on, he took Sokka's hands in his and smiled when Sokka didn't pull away. "We keep having the same fights but we both know that we mean something to each other. We turned to each other in difficult times, I want that again!"

Sokka suddenly fell into Zuko's arms, tears running down his face. Zuko was surprised by the sudden action but gladly held Sokka close to him. "Zuko I need you right now!" Sokka cried.

"Sokka? What happened? Please tell me!" Zuko begged as he held Sokka to his chest.

"Pl-please don't hate me," Sokka whispered.

After everything Zuko had done Sokka was afraid he would hate him? "I could never do that," he whispered running his fingers through Sokka's hair.

"I-I'm pregnant," he whispered. Zuko just stared at him. He had to have heard wrong, there was no way.

"Sokka how could I hate you because of that?" he asked finally able to speak again. He was going to be a dad and with Sokka! "But are you absolutely sure that you are?"

"Yeah, I thought so when we were still in the firenation but Toph just proved my suspicions," he explained wiping the tears away. Sokka was surprised that Zuko started laughing. "Z-zuko?" he asked worried.

"I'm going to be a dad! This war is going to end and I am going to have my own family!" Suddenly his face fell, "You are going to let me be this baby's father, right? Please don't cut me out!"

"I-I don't know, I haven't decided yet. I am just getting used to the idea that I am going to have another baby," he admitted. Zuko nodded as he slowly started to stand up again but stopped when Sokka pulled him back down. "You just got back, don't leave yet," he whispered, his cheeks turning a bright red.

Zuko smiled as he laid down next to Sokka, his arm wrapping around the other boy. Sokka smiled as he buried his face into Zuko's chest. This is what he had always dreamt about but he would never admit that to Zuko. "The others don't know, do they?" Zuko asked gently.

"No, they already have too much to worry about."

xxxx

Zuko had woken up when the sun had just started to rise. He smiled when he saw Sokka wrapped in his arms, a smile on his face. This is what he had dreamed about and soon they would really be a family.

He wondered what the baby would look like, if it would be a girl or boy. He smiled as his fingers aimlessly went through Sokka's hair as he thought about all of this. It was so strange, he had lost everything that he had worked so long for and he had never felt happier.

He froze when he felt the entire building shake with force. They were being attacked. There was only one person that could be but how had Azula found them so quickly? "What's going on?" Sokka yelled jumping up.

"We have to get out of here!" he yelled. He grabbed Sokka and ran out the door to where the others were. They could hear the yelling of the others and finally saw them. Toph had put up a wall that blocked them from the firebenders on the outside but from chunks of rock coming out of it, it would soon be gone.

"We can't all fit on Appa!" Aang yelled.

"Go, we can handle ourselves!" Tao yelled over the noise. Aang frowned,he didn't want to leave any of them behind but soon there would no wall and they would all be in a lot of trouble.

"Get out of here!" Haru yelled as he created a tunnel with earthbending. Aang smiled as he got onto Appa followed by the rest in the group. Toph made an opening in the wall that was big enough for Appa.

Appa tried to dodge the bombs that were being dropped and thrown at them but he could only move so quickly. Katara and Zuko had to destroy a lot of them that got too close to them.

Finally they were far enough away that they could not see the war balloon anymore. "How the hell did she know where we went?" Katara yelled her eyes immediately falling on Zuko.

"You think I told her?" he growled. "Maybe she did what I did and followed you! You didn't exactly hide your tracks!" he yelled back.

"Like we can trust you?" she yelled.

"It wasn't Zuko," Sokka said, effectively silencing Katara. "Right now we have to worry about where we can stay now that our camp has been discovered and destroyed."

"I might know a place," Zuko said.

"Oh and where might that be?" Katara sneered.

"A place that no firebender will ever go, the Fire Lord's summer home."

xxxx

Sokka looked around the palace with an awestruck look on his face. "This is where you grew up?" he asked looking at the grand rooms and tapestries that hung on every wall.

"Yeah, this used to be my favorite place when my mother brought me." Sokka smiled as he followed Zuko back out to the beach, Sokka loved that soft look that Zuko got when he talked about his mother.

Zuko sighed as he walked into what looked like a courtyard, "I guess its time for Aang's firebending lesson." He pecked Sokka on the cheek before running out into the courtyard where Aang was waiting for him.

Sokka smiled as he sat down on one of the steps to watch Zuko and Aang practice. He always loved the way Zuko looked as he practiced with his shirt off and his muscles rippling in the sunshine. He felt like a hormonal idiot but at the moment he didn't care.

"You two are so cute!" Toph giggled as she sat down next to him.

"I don't...That answer doesn't work when you can tell I'm lying," he sighed.

"You don't have to lie to me, you know that! So does Katara and Aang know that you two are together again?" she asked watching as Zuko and Aang practiced.

"No, she is still pissed at him and doesn't trust him. I don't want her to do anything to him while he sleeps," he laughed. Toph nodded knowing Katara would probably drown Zuko, especially if she found out that Sokka was pregnant.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence as they watched Aang and Zuko practice. Aang was doing really well, he had already learned how to control the fire that he had called even when he released it. Zuko was a patient teacher that rarely got angry but was always stern.

"You are done for today," Zuko said after about two hours. Aang quickly ran off to look for Katara, Toph following him. Zuko smiled as he walked over to Sokka and sat down next to him. "Wanna go for a swim, I always like seeing you in that garment of yours," he whispered the last part in Sokka's ear before nibbling it gently.

Sokka laughed as he pushed Zuko away gently, "Sure, just remember Katara doesn't know we're together."

"Then I better get it out of my system now."

"Get what..." Sokka was cut off by Zuko's mouth covering his. His tongue darted into his mouth that was already open. Sokka melted into Zuko loving the feeling of the strong chest under his fingers. Slowly the two fell so that Sokka's back was on the ground and Zuko leaning over him. Suddenly Zuko was gone from his touch and Sokka frowned in disappointment. "Zuko, why'd you stop?" he whined as he sat back up.

"I-I was worried that...I-I mean th-the baby," he stammered awkwardly.

"It won't get hurt that easily, it will be safe," Sokka promised.

Sokka was surprised by the grim look on Zuko's face, "Azula hurt you so much and I could do nothing to stop it. She could have killed our child!"

"But she didn't," Sokka reassured him, wrapping his arms around Zuko's shoulders. Zuko smiled as he kissed Sokka on the nose. "Come on, its hot lets go swimming," Sokka smiled standing up. Zuko gladly followed as Sokka walked into the house.

xxxx

Zuko quietly snuck down the hallway towards Sokka's room. It would be bad if Katara or Aang saw him, he would either be drowned or crushed by a rock and neither sounded like fun.

Finally he found the right door and quietly opened it in case Sokka was already asleep. "Would you just get in here!" Sokka hissed playfully. Zuko smiled as he ran into the room and shut the door behind him before running to the bed.

"You shouldn't stay up so late," Zuko teased as he ran his hands through Sokka's hair.

"You're not going to be all overprotective and annoying, are you?" Sokka growled playfully as he rolled over onto Zuko.

Zuko's playful face fell as he sat up and Sokka dropped into his lap. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that, I don't want you fighting in the battle."

"What? You have got to be kidding! I have worked..."

"I know, I know," Zuko said his hands resting on Sokka's shoulders, "but right now you have to worry about the baby before yourself. One wrong move and your luck could run out and I could lose the person that means the most to me and my unborn child."

"Zuko I am going to fight, I can not let my friends, my little sister, and you fight while I hide in the background! Please don't ask me again!"

Zuko sighed as he looked down, if Sokka meant what he said there was no way he was going to get through to him. Both teens turned when they heard the door open. Tao was standing there looking at them. Sokka stood up and walked over to him, "Hey Tao, what are you doing out of bed?" he purred picking him up.

"Bad dream," he yawned, his head falling into Sokka's chest.

"Oh okay, you can sleep in here tonight," he smiled as he stroked his son's head and walked back over to the bed. Zuko smiled as Sokka laid down and put Tao in between them. Zuko closed his eyes as he started to fall asleep. Was this what it was like to have a family? A real family, not the kind that he had been raised with?

xxxx

Zuko watched as the ground beneath them flew from view. Iroh had told them that Azula had stayed in the Firenation and Ozai had gone ahead to destroy the earth kingdom. Zuko and Sokka had been the ones that were sent to take care of Azula. Sokka had not been happy that they had to leave Tao with Iroh but there was no way they could have brought him with them.

"What's wrong with you?" Sokka asked resting his chin on Zuko's shoulder.

"Sokka promise me something."

"Zuko?"

"Promise me that if something goes wrong you will run, no matter what make sure you get out of there."

"I won't leave you!"

"Sokka! Think about our baby! I will never forgive myself if something happened to them or to you! Promise me!"

"I promise," Sokka mumbled.

Zuko pulled him into his lap so that the two were facing each other, "Thank you Sokka," he whispered before kissing him on the lips. If this was the last time they were going to be together Zuko would treasure it.

Finally after what seemed like forever Sokka could see the shoreline of the Firenation coming into view. They would be there soon and this war would be over, even if they lost...

Zuko could see his sister kneeling in front of the mages, the crown was in their hand. They were not too late, they could stop her from being crowned. Hopefully Aang, Katara, and Toph would get there in time as well.

"Azula stop!" Zuko yelled jumping onto the ground. Sokka was right behind him, sword in hand.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Azula laughed as she looked at the two of them. "You two seriously think you can stop me?"

Zuko didn't say anything, he would not leer at her like she would to him. He could see her hands light up with the blue flames, the look in her eyes told him that if he lost he would be dead.

Zuko felt the familiar heat in his hands as he prepared for whatever attack Azula would throw at him. He had learned growing up with her that if he attacked first she would use it against him. He could not lose this fight, he had to protect Sokka and his family no matter what it took.

He saw the attack as soon as she lunged at him Her hands were on fire and the lightening was aimed straight at his chest. He easily redirected the lightening and smiled as it flew away from him. Azula looked shocked when she realized that he had improved.

"I will not lose to you brother!" she growled running at him again.

Sokka was scared at the intense heat that radiated from the fight between the two royal siblings. He had never seen either of them fight so intensely before. Both looked like they wanted to kill the other.

xxxx

Toph threw another one of the soldiers off the air ship, this was going better then she thought. She froze when she felt the heat of the fire. "That is a lot of fire," she whispered having to back away from the edge to get away from the heat. "Aang, I hope you can do this."

Katara watched as Aang and Ozai fought, she would never would have thought that the small boy they had found in the iceberg could turn out to be this powerful. She hated when he lost control in the avatar state, but this time it actually looked like he was in control.

"You can't lose," she whispered to herself. She touched her lips, Aang had kissed her and she had done nothing about it. She wished that she had kissed him back, told him how she really felt. He had to come back! She wanted to be able to spend the rest of their lives together. In a world that they had brought peace back to.

xxxx

Zuko was breathing hard as he stood back up. Both he and Azula had been fighting so hard the courtyard they were in had been destroyed. Zuko looked back for only a second to make sure that Sokka was still alright.

Sokka smiled at him reassuringly, he would have gotten into the fight but Zuko had said he wanted to do this alone. Sokka didn't like the idea but he could understand why Zuko would want too.

Sokka watched as the fight continued, neither of them losing but neither of them were winning either. He couldn't tell if that was good or bad.

Suddenly Zuko went flying, a scar running down his chest. "Zuko!" Sokka yelled running to him.

"Sokka, stay over there," Zuko gasped. Sokka stopped as he watched Zuko try and stand, his hands shaking as they tried to call forth the fire.

"Zuzu you won't win!" Azula laughed.

"Azula I can't lose!" he gasped standing up.

Zuko had been able to redirect lightning but he had never been able to use it before. It was the only thing he had left. If he didn't win soon he would pass out and Sokka would be the one in trouble. He could not let that happen.

It was such a strange sensation of the lightening in his fingers and finally being released into the air. It was like he could see nothing other then where it was going until it finally hit Azula right in the chest.

He saw his sister fly into the air, her eyes had a look of surprise on them before everything around him went black.

"Zuko! Zuko you need to wake up!" Sokka growled bending down next to Zuko's limp body. "Don't you dare think about dying! You better wake up! Please Zuko!" Sokka sobbed trying to get Zuko to at least open his eyes.

"I-I don't...like th-that face..." Zuko wheezed as he tried to lift his arm. Sokka laughed as he felt the familiar fingers touch his face. "St-stop...crying," Zuko commanded before groaning in pain.

Sokka could only laugh as he wiped away his tears, Zuko was okay. Sokka was about to say something but Zuko interrupted him. "Is she..." Sokka looked around unsure of the answer. He was surprised when he realized she wasn't there. Azula had just disappeared.

"She's alive."

xxxx

Aang looked down at the defeated Firelord. The war that had taken all of his people away from him and had made him work so hard for the short time that he had been awake again was finally over.

He had sworn that he would never kill and he intended to keep that promise. He fell into a rock out of exhaustion when he heard two girls yelling. Toph and Katara must have found him.

He smiled as felt Katara's arms wrap around him. "I am so happy to see that you are alright!" she cried into his shoulder.

"Hey, I thought he was supposed to be dead," Toph said pointing to Ozai who looked half dead anyway.

"He can't bend, he is no longer a threat to anyone," Aang explained. Toph sighed as she started to walk away, she would let Katara and Aang have their moment. Maybe the two idiots had finally figured it out.

xxxx

2 weeks later...

Zuko frowned as he tried to pull on his robe, he could barely move his arms because of the bandages. "You just have to ask for help," Sokka giggled as he helped his lover pull his robes on and tie it shut.

"Thank you," Zuko whispered kissing him on the forehead. He was about to move lower when they heard small giggles. Zuko looked up and saw Tao barely inside the door watching them.

"Hey come here you," Sokka laughed picking him up. Tao laughed as Sokka swung him up into the air. "What are you doing hiding by the door?" Sokka asked with a joking tone. Tao just buried his head into Sokka's chest not answering.

"Come on, they are waiting for us," Zuko smiled offering Sokka his hand.

"I really don't think we have to announce our engagement! I mean we can just keep it secret and tell them after we're married..."

"Sokka are you scared about what your sister will think?" Zuko asked raising his eyebrows curiously.

"She can blood bend! I kinda like you too much to have you bleed to death!" he cried desperately.

Zuko kissed him on the lips to stop his tirade, "I can handle myself, I want everybody to know."

Sokka just shook his head, "If anything happens I'm not helping you," Sokka laughed rolling his eyes. Zuko just laughed and wrapped an arm around Sokka's shoulder and started walking towards the door.

"Nothing will happen," Zuko promised kissing him on the neck. Tao giggled at them, he always did whenever they showed any kind of affection. Zuko stopped, his cheeks turning red, he loved Tao but he was still getting used to having him around all the time.

The two of them walked out of the castle and onto a platform. Sokka could not believe all the people that were standing there looking at them waiting for them to talk. There had to be ten times more people here then were in the North pole.

"I have called you all here to share with you my wonderful news! I am going to be married to the love of my life! Sokka and I are going to be married within the year!" Sokka could not believe the loud cheers that followed the announcement.

Zuko smiled as he kissed Sokka on the lips making the people cheer even louder. "They seem so happy," Sokka whispered surprised.

"They just had their families returned to them and a war that raged all their lives ended. On top of that there will be parties and a promise for stability with their king, they have reason to rejoice."

Sokka had never heard Zuko be so serious. Something about it made Sokka realize how much Zuko really did care for his people, no matter what his father had done to him or how he had been hunted down by them.

"Come on, let's go back inside, I can't wait to celebrate our engagement," Zuko smiled pulling him back inside. Sokka smiled as Zuko pulled him into their room.

"Zuko," he warned looking down at Tao who had fallen asleep in his arms.

"Don't worry," Zuko laughed kissing him on the lips before pulling him into his chest. "I just want to be close to my family," he whispered kissing Tao on the forehead and resting his hand on Sokka's stomach. There was already a small bump starting to form. His baby was growing and he could see that!

"Don't worry, we're not going anywhere," Sokka promised, "and nothing can change that."

**Finally the last chapter, I know this chapter is a lot longer then all my other chapters but I hoped you liked it. Please review I want to know what you guys thought about it! **


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